The Club
by vndbskjvndskjbndkjbndks
Summary: Alternate Universe. Kagome and her family have to move when they can't keep up the shrine, and she decides to get a job at the local club where she meets someone named Inuyasha. Fun, romance, and music follows.
1. Prologue

The Club

ChristieLea54

Prologue

(Kagome's Point of View)

It had been late one night at The Club. Actually, it's real name was something so long and complicated no one bothered to remember it. And seeing as the real owner of The Club, Sesshomaru, was never there anyways, we all just called it The Club. In fact, the only reason Sesshomaru hadn't gotten rid of it yet was because it had been inherited from his father.

Anyways, it had been late that one night at The Club. It was the night the agents from the record company downtown came to see Inuyasha perform. Inuyasha has this amazing voice, and a drop-dead-gorgeous devil-may-care bad-boy look about him. When he's on-stage, well let's just say he's got the personality of a superstar and all the confidence anyone would ever want. I usually like to call it arrogance, but it suits him when he's up there. Who am I kidding? It suits him all the time.

The crowd that night had doubled in size. I would know, I worked there. It was only his second performance and already he was a huge hit. I was so proud of him that night.

I had been bustling about, selling sodas and waters to everyone I could. I hadn't been so happy in ages. You see, it had been me who had convinced him to play at The Club, instead of Sesshomaru hiring some random band.

Inuyasha had gotten up on the platform that served as our stage, and a brief lull of quiet fell upon everyone in the room. He took the microphone with a confident ease that I'll always envy. With one of his trademark grins tugging at the corners of his mouth he looked out upon the crowd.

"I just wanted to shout 'thanks' to an angel in the back over there!!!" His eyes found mine. Inuyasha has these amazing honey warm golden colored eyes. "She made tonight possible! Thank you Kagome Higurashi!!! Now let's make some music! Yeah?"

The crowd went wild shouting back "YEAH!" but he held my gaze for a moment longer, and the smile he sent in my direction was enough to make any girl weak at the knees. I managed to pull myself together and smiled back and waved. He started singing his songs, all of which he'd written himself, and played the melody line on his guitar.

Looking back, I realize that that was the exact moment that I fell in love with him.

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This was just the prologue, that's why it's so short, and the only chapter that's going to be written from the 'I' point of view, in case you're wondering… So what did you think? Good? Bad? Please review.


	2. The Boy Behind The Counter

The Club

ChristieLea54

Chapter One

"Mom! I don't want to be here!" Kagome Higurashi said pathetically.

"I'm sorry Kagome. You know there's nothing I can do about it. Ever since your father died… I tried to keep the shrine up on my own, but I just couldn't. Besides, think of this as a fresh start in your life!" her mother finished up cheerfully.

"I don't want a fresh start. I want to be home with Eri and Yumi and Ayame."

"It's not THAT bad Kagome," said her younger brother Souta from the backseat.

Little brothers, can they ever be annoying. "It doesn't make a difference to you Souta! You were starting at a new school this year anyways. I'm a junior in high school!"

"Jeez! You don't have to go ballistic on me," he muttered.

They pulled into the driveway of what was apparently their new home. They all looked up at it in silence. A window shutter on the upper story creaked and swayed ominously when the wind blew. The entire house looked like it was in some dire need of cleaning.

"You've so got to be kidding me," she grumbled. "That house is older than grandpa!"

"Oh don't be so negative," her mother admonished brightly. "We can fix it up."

"Who's gonna nail the shutter back on?" Souta asked.

All three of them looked to the seat next to Souta where grandpa had fallen asleep and was currently snoring rather loudly.

"I'll do it," declared Mrs. Higurashi.

"But you're afraid of heights!" protested Souta.

"That is a bit of a problem, isn't it?"

They all piled out of the car and pulled some bags out of the trunk. The movers wouldn't be here for another fifteen minutes. They all stared up at the big old house once more before silently trekking up the front steps and into the dark interior. It was even worse on the inside. "Oh dear God…."

"Kagome," her mother reprimanded.

Kagome just rolled her eyes. It was going to be a long weekend.

Kagome trudged home from school on Monday wondering how much worse her life could get. Being the new kid officially sucked. The shutter upstairs creaked as she stepped onto the porch. When she got inside, looking at the interior of the house with fresh eyes, she realized how much like home her mom had made it look. Not to mention two years of dust had been cleaned away.

"I'm home!" she called.

"Kagome is that you?" Her mom came rushing into the foyer, well, if you could call it that. It was more like an extremely small entrance hallway with barely enough room for the creaky staircase it contained. "Look what I found in the paper!" she exclaimed. "An application for a job at 'The Club.' Doesn't that sound like fun? You could meet some new friends!"

Silently her mother was also saying that it would be a great way to get some spending money, instead of sponging it off her poor single parent. Well, Kagome could admit that things around here were bound to get real boring real fast. "Umm, I guess I can go check it out tomorrow."

"Great!"

Kagome propped her bike up against the brick wall of the building called The Club. Sure she could drive, but what was the good in knowing how without a car to drive in? With an annoyed sighed she stepped back and looked at the place. Two words had been etched into the brick near the top: The Club.

She walked in and looked around. The flooring was black, but there were some vibrantly colored comfortable looking couches and easy chairs complete with small coffee tables scattered along the sidewall. To the right was a large raised platform with a few instruments set up on it. The back had some doorways she assumed lead to bathrooms and storage rooms and such. Towards the middle of the room was a bar of some sort. And there was lots of space in front of the platform for dancing.

But what caught her eye was the boy, head propped up in his hands, who had fallen asleep behind the bar's polished wooden countertop.

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Any suggestions? Review me all those bright ideas! Thanx!


	3. The Beginnings of a Friendship

The Club

ChristieLea54

Chapter Two

Kagome carefully walked over. Was he really asleep? She could tell he worked here because one: he was behind the bar, and two: he was wearing a black apron with The Club sewn on in white lettering on the pocket. The apron had been rather messily thrown on over his baggy jeans and red tee shirt. What was strangest about him, though, was his hair. It was pure black, and easily longer than her own! But she couldn't deny that it looked good on him.

How was she supposed to wake him up though? "Umm, hello?" she said timidly. "Hello!" she called louder. No response. She put her hands on his shoulders and shook him a little.

"Hmmm? What, where?" He looked up sleepily. He focused on the girl in front of him. "Kikyo?" Suddenly all traces of sleep had left him. "Who the hell are you?"

"Uhhh…" Normally she would have been quicker to respond, but his eyes had really startled her. They were this honey warm liquid gold kind of color, and she could tell right away that they weren't contacts. Eyes like that brought his whole face alive. "Oh! I'm Kagome Higurashi. I'm here for the job application?"

"Oh that. Well, you're hired then," he stated simply.

"What?" she spluttered. "That's it?"

"Sure, why not?" He looked her over. "You _can _waitress over the weekends, right?"

"Of course, but-"

"Then you're hired. By the way, my name's Inuyasha." He offered her a hand to shake. Most people she knew had cold hands, but his were warm. Really warm. A smug grin appeared on his face. "I guess I'll be your boss from now on!" Why, oh why, did she get the feeling that she was going to dread working for this guy?

Monday afternoon he made her wash the windows. Tuesday night he made her clean the floors. Wednesday he made her polish the bar's countertop. Twice. And the whole time he just sat on that platform and played around with the instruments! The jerk!

The club was open after school on weekdays, and weekends except for Sunday. Today was her third day on the job, and apart from all the totally unnecessary cleaning, it wasn't so bad. When there weren't any customers, and Inuyasha wasn't lording his position over her, he was actually kind of fun. Sometimes they even finished up their homework together. It turns out that they were both juniors at the local high school.

"You missed a spot," he said.

"Inuyasha! I've been polishing this stupid countertop for the past hour! I did not miss a spot!"

"Yes, you did!" he said slowly, as if trying to make a five year old understand him.

"Fine!" she threw her hands up into the air. "Where? Where is it?"

"Right there!" he pointed. She looked. There was _no_ spot there at all. She looked up at Inuyasha, then back at the clean tabletop, and then back up at Inuyasha, and decided that it would be best to humor him. She took her rag and re-cleaned the spot. "Better?" she asked dryly.

"Much."

"So… Do you ever get _any _customers here?"

"Mostly on the weekends, and after the weather gets too cold to hang outside everyone comes here," he said with a shrug.

"Oh. So can I start my homework yet?" she asked.

"What's with your obsession with homework?" he asked disgustedly. "If I keep hanging out with you my grades are gonna go up like ten points."

"I have to keep my grades up!"

"Why?"

"Why?! Because if I don't my mother will give me that whole I'm-so-disappointed-in-you-Kagome spiel. Whenever she does that I end up feeling like the scum of the earth. God! Mothers shouldn't be allowed to use that on their children! It's just not fair!" She noticed that sometime during her ranting Inuyasha's face had fallen. "Hey? Are you okay?" she asked him.

"Hmmm? Oh yeah, I'm fine. I just… don't have a mother anymore." Why did he just tell her that?! Why?! He hadn't told that to anyone in over five years now! Why did he tell her? He'd only known her for three freaking days!

"I'm so sorry."

He looked away. "Feh. What can you do?"

"My dad died when I was younger too," she said softly.

He glanced back at her. "Cancer?"

"Yeah." Why did her throat feel so thick? She hadn't cried over her dad's death in ages. Why now? Did it have to do with Inuyasha? She could sympathize with him, and he could understand how she felt. Inuyasha had no problem at all showing people what he really felt about things, especially if it was disgust or anger at how stupid they were. He wasn't afraid of not being polite. For some reason this made her feel more open, like she should give him the same treatment. It was freeing, in a way. She felt like she could be herself around him, without worrying about what he was thinking, because she knew that he had no qualms about telling her.

She gave him a weak smile, and went to retrieve her bag from behind the bar. They went over to the colorful squishy couches and set their homework up on the coffee table in front of it.

Math happened to be Kagome's worst subject, and Inuyasha's best. They worked in comfortable silence for a while. Then Kagome's frustrated erasing filled the air.

"Jeez. If you keep that up you'll erase a hole right through the paper." He rolled his eyes. "Here, look at mine."

Kagome looked at his paper, and then at hers, and then back at his. Her own paper was perfectly neat and spaced out and legible. His was a big sloppy mess of letters and numbers, and yet _he_ kept getting the right answers! "It's just not fair!" she sighed.

He grinned at her. Life was good.

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Spelling things wrong is my biggest pet peeve, so if it's not too much trouble, would you mind pointing out any errors I might have made? Thanks so much! The whole gang is going to be in this one, so any suggestions for them are welcome! Even the obscure characters who are only in a few episodes. Thanks!


	4. Enter Miroku

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Three

Thursday afternoon she came in like usual, steeling herself for more of Inuyasha's slave driving. She walked behind the bar and put on the apron with the white lettering that said The Club. Inuyasha appeared from out of no where behind her. He was always doing that! "Let's see what you can do," he said.

"Huh?" she replied intelligently.

"Look," he said, motioning behind her. She turned and looked. Three girls came in through the boor, the bells above it chiming merrily as they chattered among themselves. Her first customers! They went over to the couches and dumped their books there before coming over to the bar.

"Hi! How may I help you?" Kagome asked brightly.

"Two diet cokes and a lemon-lime please," one of them said. Kagome took out three cups and straws and the soda tap. How did this thing work again? She pressed the buttons on it. Nothing came out. She shook it a little. Still nothing. She could feel her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "Umm… Inuyasha? How does this thing work?"

Inuyasha came over and stood next to her, just barely smothering his laughter. He was laughing at her! How dare he?! It's all his fault for not showing her how anyway! "Like this," he said with a grin as he flipped a switch under the bar and pressed a button on the tap. Number two was for the lemon-lime, and three was for the diet coke. He handed the girls their sodas and turned to look at her, after which he burst out into laughter all over again.

She crossed her arms and pouted. "You _could_ have shown me that before!"

"You're right. I could have. But it was just too damn funny!"

"Hmph!"

A few hours later Kagome looked up from the book her English teacher had assigned her to see someone new come into The Club. He walked in as if he were home from a long day at work. She marked her page and stood up.

"Hi, can I help you?" she asked. He jumped at her voice and looked over, seemingly surprised to see her there. But that was quickly concealed by the pleasant smile that washed over his features. He looked as if he were around nineteen, maybe twenty, his hair was slightly longer than was usual, and he had eyes so dark blue they were almost purple.

"A pretty new face!" he exclaimed. "May I have the honor of knowing your name?"

"Kagome." She was irritated to find out that she was blushing a little.

"That's a lovely name! It's nice to meet you."

"Oh, thank y-" She stopped dead. Was that _his hand_?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?

Inuyasha was in the back adjusting the thermostat when the resounding sound of a slap filled the air. Conclusion: Miroku must be back. He shook his head half in dread and half in amusement at his crazy friend's behavior. He was such a womanizer! Wait… Kagome was the only girl out there… He started to get up to go pound some sense into Miroku _again_, but stopped himself. Why should he care what happened to her? She was just another girl, and from the sound of it, well able to defend herself. But, he reasoned, he should probably go see how Miroku had been. Wait… he'd never cared before. Inuyasha decided to ignore the voice that was telling him that he just wanted to go make sure his friend still wasn't hitting on Kagome. Oh, to hell with it! And he stomped out of the room.

"Miroku!" he yelled. He noticed that Kagome had retreated to her bar stool, with a very red face, to try and finish her reading assignment.

Miroku turned to face him, which revealed a red mark on his cheek, most likely from Kagome. "Hello Inuyasha! How've you been?"

"Okay I guess. It's been pretty slow. And what took you so freaking long! It's been a week and a half!" Inuyasha accused.

Miroku just shrugged. "Couldn't leave before old gramp's funeral."

"Oh. Sorry man."

"Never knew the guy anyways." Miroku stepped behind the bar and tied on his black apron.

"Wait one minute!" Kagome cried. "You work here?"

He looked over at her as if she were daft. "Well, yes."

"Oh…"

"I'm assuming that you've been hired here as well?"

"Yeah. Isn't Inuyasha such a slave driver?" She sighed dramatically. "He keeps lording his position as boss over me," she shot him a dirty look, at which he rolled his eyes in response. "And he made me polish this counter top _twice_."

Miroku raised his eyebrows in seemingly innocent inquiry. "Boss?"

"Yeah," she said, wondering where Miroku was going with this.

He sent Inuyasha a grin. "Kagome, the only boss we have is Sesshomaru. And he's never here."

Slowly, Kagome turned to Inuyasha with a glare that would have made any man want to run and hide.

"Aww shit," Inuyasha swore.

"Inuyasha?" she asked sweetly.

"What?" he replied warily.

"You better RUN!" And with that she began chasing him in circles around the bar. When it became obvious that she wasn't near fast enough to catch up with him, she started grabbing the obnoxiously, but fun colored pillows off the couches and began to lob them at the back of his head.

"Hey!" he shouted, and with a smirk threw them right back at her. She froze for a moment, and then she started to laugh. Not smile or giggle, but really laugh. Kagome didn't have perfectly combed or straight and shiny hair, but when he looked at her just then, laughing and her slightly out of control waves bouncing around, she looked prettier than any other girl he'd known. Beautiful, even.

Miroku stood behind the bar, and watched as the two raced around it. Two weeks, he thought with a rather kinky smile. I give them two weeks.

Before long, both had fallen to the ground, laughing hysterically. As Inuyasha watched her collapse with a happy sigh on one of the couches, he realized that he couldn't remember having such a good time in ages.

Inuyasha sat on the would-be stage polishing his guitar when the bells above the door jingled as Kagome walked in. "You're late."

She rolled her eyes. She was two minutes _early_! He was just a grump. "Hello to you too!" She put her things away and put on her apron. "Hey Inuyasha?" she asked curiously. "How come you never play that thing?"

His head shot up. "What?"

"You just sit there and tune and polish, tune and polish, and then, oh yeah, tune and polish some more!" she finished sarcastically.

"Feh."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Miroku walked in with a serious face. "It means that he doesn't want to talk about it."

Her face fell. "Oh."

"But because he won't tell you, I will!" Miroku exclaimed happily. "He doesn't ever play when anyone's around to hear him. I think that– oomph!" Miroku gave a strangled cry when he was tackled to the ground by a very pissed off teenage boy. "Shut. Up."

"Jesus Inuyasha. If you like throwing other men to the ground so much, then go join the wrestling team!"

Inuyasha's mouthy hung open for a minute, before he closed it with a snap, and jumped off Miroku like he'd been burned. "You're sick Miroku!" he said disgustedly.

"Yup. A total pervert," Kagome agreed, trying to stifle her laughter.

Miroku sighed contentedly from his place on the ground. "But I'm a happy pervert!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, and Kagome burst out into a fresh peal of giggles.

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No, it's not ALL going to be pointless fluff….

There's a really sweet part coming up for all you Sango/Miroku fans soon too!

Sorry if some of the spacing is off. I can never figure out why that happens.

If you've got any amazing ideas for this story, please review! I'd appreciate it!


	5. Football Stars and Cheerleaders

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Four

Inuyasha sat in his loft above The Club later that night as the lightning flashed outside. No one but Sesshomaru knew that he lived up here, but Sesshomaru didn't count, because he was never around.

The incident with Kagome that afternoon had really shaken him. Why was it that he didn't play in front of anyone else?

With a sigh he got up and padded downstairs. The steps creaked as he went down them. He walked over to his guitar. What was he so afraid of?

He turned it over and over again in his hands in the dark empty room. He'd missed so much school when his mother died that he'd been held back a grade. He never did make too many friends after that. With his long hair and weird eyes, the other kids thought he was a bit of a freak, and he'd been too depressed over his mother to care.

It'd been downhill from there. By the age of fourteen he was a definite loner. Myoga was his official legal guardian, but he'd just hired different nannies every few weeks, only dropping in himself occasionally. Meanwhile Sesshomaru had graduated from some big time law and business university. Sesshomaru had found out that he'd inherited some property from their long dead father in some small old town a few miles from where Inuyasha currently lived. He'd fixed it up as a hangout for local teenagers realizing the money he could make off it. Almost as an afterthought, he'd come to visit fifteen year old Inuyasha.

The disgrace in which Inuyasha had been living was simply not acceptable, so he'd dismissed the many nannies, brought Inuyasha to The Club, and let him live in the extremely small apartment above it. Sesshomaru would pay the bills for him if he worked there after school, and told no one about it. It wasn't exactly legal…

Sesshomaru would call monthly, and visit once a year. If Inuyasha stepped one toe out of line he would be sent to the orphanage. There would be no failing grades, no drugs, no alcohol, and no sex, or it would be hello social services.

Sesshomaru had said that he knew Inuyasha would behave, that he was smarter than he let people think.

Over a year had passed, and then Kikyo had come along. She'd been out of his life as quickly as she came into it. She'd been shipped here, also an orphan, to live with her grandmother, the senile old lady named Kaede who lived on the other side of town. However, considering how small the town was, that wasn't all that far away.

He'd only ever seen Kikyo at school. He doubted that she even knew about him working at The Club, much less his guitar. One day though, she told him that she was running away. She wanted him to come with her. She said that they were both different from everyone else, that together they could make a normal life for themselves somewhere else.

He would have gone too, if it weren't for his _stupid_ heart, telling him that Kikyo didn't love him. That she would take _anyone _on the trip with her. That she just didn't want to be alone. When he'd confronted her about it, she got angry, and took some bastard named Onigumo instead. He still missed her sometimes though. Which was why he was so surprised to see Kagome the first time he met her. She could have easily passed for Kikyo's twin.

Except for the eyes.

Kikyo had always been very reserved, very cautious around others. The cards life had dealt her had left her rather practical and cynical. Some might even have described as uptight. But Kagome's… those were so _bright_. So filled with life and hope for the world.

He sighed. He was right back where he started. Why didn't he play in front of anyone? He was far too straightforward to kid himself into thinking it was because he didn't want to perform, because he really did want to. He wanted to show the world what he could do, damnit! But something had always held him back. What?

He just wanted to shut his eyes to the problem and go back to bed, but he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. So he strummed out a few more chords on his guitar. Deep down he knew the answer, he just didn't want to admit it. He was afraid that he'd be rejected, again. He'd never known his father. His mother had died when he was only seven years old. As a child he'd taken her dying and leaving him as that she didn't love him anymore. Myoga practically ignored his existence. Sesshomaru only cared about the profit he made on this place. Kikyo hadn't even bothered to say goodbye.

He wanted his playing to be perfect before anyone heard it.

An image of Kagome and Miroku cheering him on in a crowd full of happy people came into his mind. His eyes flashed. The fact that this wasn't a real event didn't trouble him in the slightest. This was the kind of confidence that he'd been waiting for! He was back to being his confident old self, and he was going to stay that way if it killed him! He'd show the world what he was made of, and he'd be damn proud of it!

He took a few more deep breaths, and let the strong beat of the music fill his very soul.

Saturday morning rolled around. There was some soft chatter and laughter coming from the comfy chair area. The high school's cheerleaders had come in for their pre-game coffee. Miroku was busy 'entertaining' them. The girls were practically drooling over the cute college boy.

"I didn't know he could read fortunes," Kagome remarked.

"He can't," Inuyasha stated bluntly. "He's making it up as he goes."

"Oh."

The bells above the door rang as the football players came to collect their cheerleading girlfriends for the game.

"Awww," one girl whined. "I didn't get my latté yet!" So the star of the football team ordered two lattés to go. Inuyasha got up and served it to him. "Three dollars."

He paid, took one, tasted it, and purposely knocked it off the counter, spilling it all over the floor. "I said _vanilla_ you dweeb!"

Kagome felt a fire flare up inside her. He had so _not _said vanilla. If there was one thing she believed in, it was in being fair. She was about to say so too, but Inuyasha beat her to it. Well his fist did anyways. The jock and his friends burst out into mocking laughter right up until Inuyasha's fist landed in his face.

The football player slowly felt his face. It was only a bruise, nothing more. "You're going to regret that!" he shouted, and made to go over the bar top at Inuyasha, but his friends held him back.

Miroku pretended like he'd just walked in and didn't know what was going on. "Is there a problem here?" Kagome was amazed at the change in his voice. Before this, Miroku had been all fun and games, amusement underlining everything he did and said. Now he was dead serious, and his voice rang out with all the solidness of a mountain. She had a feeling he'd be the type to keep a cool head no matter the situation.

"The game man!"

"Yeah man, the game!"

"Don't get hurt right before the game!" After a full two minutes of coaxing, the football players finally managed to get their friend out the door.

The tension left behind in the room could have been cut with a knife. Finally Miroku blew out a noisy sigh, and wearily turned to Inuyasha. "How many times do I have to tell you? _No hitting the customers_." He enunciated each word as if he were explaining something to a five year old.

Immediately Kagome knew that was the wrong move. Above all else Inuyasha hated being treated like a child.

"Well how about no hitting ON the customers Miroku!" he shouted angrily. Inuyasha got upset easily, but this was by far the angriest she'd ever seen him. Nervously she scurried over to the broom closet cleverly hidden in the walls paneling, and took out a mop.

Inuyasha, taut as a bowstring, strode past Miroku and grabbed the mop out of Kagome's hand. "I'll get it," he said in a tone so dark she hardly recognized it.

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I know, I know. Bad place to stop.

And yes, I'm aware that the whole cheerleader/jock bit was a total stereotype and exaggeration… but it fit in the story.

See you next time!


	6. Colds Suck

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Five

"Hello?" Miroku answered the phone.

"Hi Miroku," she sniffled miserably. "This is Kagome. I can't come to work today."

"Is everything all right?"

"Peachy," she said sarcastically. "Just a-a-a-achoo! a cold."

"Well take as long as you need and rest up Kagome. No one wants you sick."

"Thanks so much! Bye."

"Bye."

Kagome wiped at her endlessly runny nose. She was all alone in an empty house and terribly sick. Might as well take a nap.

An hour or so passed, and the ringing of the doorbell woke her up.

"Ding-Dong……… Diiiiing-Doooooong………… DingDongDingDongDingDong DingDoooooooong." The noise was hurting her headache.

_ Who_ in all the bloody hells rings a door bell like that?!

She clumsily stumbled her way to the door. God she felt awful. She was only getting up to answer the door to stop that god-forsaken noise that was making her head pound. She opened the door.

There stood none other than Inuyasha.

She should have known.

What was he doing here though? Surprised, a hand self-consciously reached up to her sleep tousled mess of hair, but let it drop. She was really too sick to care. "Ugh. It's you." She held the door open for him. "What do you want?"

"Why aren't you at work?" he yelled. Now that she really looked at him, he did seem kind of pissed.

"Why aren't –ACHOO! you?!" she yelled back at him.

"To come and drag you back! You can't just skip off you know!"

"Inuyasha! I'm sick!"

Oh… So _that's_ why she was carrying around that massive box of tissues. He peered down at her. "You don't look so good." In fact, he hadn't realized until just now, that without any shoes on, she was quite a few inches shorter than him.

"You think?" an irritated Kagome replied.

An awkward silence followed. Searching for something, anything really, to say, he came up with, "You know, that window shutter upstairs is falling off."

"Yeah, I know." Wow, she really wasn't herself today.

"Then why don't you fix it?" he asked bluntly.

Tiredly, she blew her bangs out of her eyes. "Because Gramps is too old to get on a ladder, Souta is too young, my mom is deathly afraid of heights, and I don't know the first thing about nailing anything!"

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Another awkward silence.

"Look Inuyasha, I'll be back tomorrow, okay?" She sneezed again. "I'm just going to go take a nap and hope that the burning in my throat goes away." With that said, she dizzily wandered back to her place on the couch with her trusty box of tissues in one hand, and fell asleep.

Hours later her mother came into the family room, practically glowing with happiness. "Kagome!"

"Hmmm?" she replied groggily.

"You fixed the shutter for me! Thank you so much dear!" She pulled something out from behind her back. "And here's a get well soon present!" It was some new paperback novel with a bag of honey cough-drops attached to the front.

"Thanks mom."

"Your welcome dear."

After she was sure her mother had disappeared into the kitchen to make dinner, Kagome snuck outside. Sure enough, the shutter was nailed firmly in place. Who could've done it? But she already knew: Inuyasha. The simple gesture made tears come to her eyes, and she let the warmth that his name was starting to bring seep through her.

Miroku leaned forward on the bar top as he began talking to Kagome. He smiled excitedly. "It's the third Saturday."

"The what?"

"The third Saturday of every month Sesshomaru sends a band over to come and play."

"Oh cool!" She wondered if she would ever meet this mysterious Sesshomaru. Who was he? What was he like? Why was he never here? "Wait!" she exclaimed. "Why doesn't Inuyasha play on Saturdays?"

A shadow passed over his face. "Like I said before, he's not very open with his music. I've never actually heard him play before, but I hear that he's very talented."

"Hear? From who?"

"His godfather."

"Well what does his real father have to say about it?"

Miroku's brow creased in general bad feeling. "He doesn't have a father. Hasn't he told you?" Actually, it didn't surprise Miroku in the least that Inuyasha hadn't told some girl that he'd just met all about his dark and gloomy past, but she'd known about his mother…

"I knew about his mom, but his dad too?!" her eyes filled with sympathy. "The poor thing. Who does he live with?"

Miroku opened his mouth to answer, but then closed it again. "You know, I don't have the faintest idea."

The door banged open, bells chiming merrily. Inuyasha walked in. "Hey guys! Boy does detention ever suck!"

Miroku smiled. "Another one?"

"Be glad your not in high school anymore Miroku."

Kagome propped her elbows up on the counter, her chin in her hands. "So, what'd you do?"

He gave her an appraising look. "You really want to know?"

She nodded eagerly.

"Well, I was in French class-"

Miroku cut him off nearly choking on his coffee. "Inuyasha! This has happened three times before!" he said, laughing.

Inuyasha ignored him. "And we had to do a speaking task with the madame, and I meant to say something along the lines of, 'how was your day?'"

"But…?" she prodded.

"But, it came out more as 'you're a fat cow.'"

Kagome ended up crying she was laughing so hard. Inuyasha watched her smile for a moment. He'd forgotten how good it felt to make someone laugh.

"So the bands coming tonight?" Inuyasha asked Miroku.

"Yes. Sesshomaru called about fifteen minutes ago. He wants you to call him back tonight."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. What else is new?" Inuyasha griped.

---------------------------------------------------

Need some ideas… You guys don't want me to get writers block do you?

What about… Kagome getting set up on a blind date by Yuka… with Hojo? Or maybe Kouga?

Shippo should be coming next chapter, and once they meet Shippo, they meet Sango!

Please review! They're awfully encouraging!


	7. Enter Shippo

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Six

It was about half past six when all the customers started to trickle in. The small town they lived in knew about the third Saturday band, and boy did they love it! All the teenagers would come and talk and dance and sing and have fun.

Kagome was running around serving sodas and waters to everyone that she could when the band finally showed up. Even from across the room Kagome could see the look of longing on Inuyasha's face as they set up.

It was right then that she promised herself that she's do whatever she could to help him get over his fear of performing, because that's what it was – a fear. And Inuyasha was anything _but_ a coward, just very private. And it was getting in the way of his dreams.

The band started to play, and the people started closing in around her as they began dancing to the music. Suddenly, she felt very out of place. She scurried back over next to Inuyasha behind the bar.

It was a just a random assortment of songs you could hear on the radio everyday, but they played the songs pretty well, and Kagome soon found herself bobbing her head along with the beat.

Kagome looked over at Inuyasha. So he didn't have a mother or a father? That must be terrible for him! He was probably just stage-shy because he hadn't had a family to support him when he was younger.

"I think it's great that you play guitar!" he yelled over the music.

"Huh?"

"Sometimes I wish I could play an instrument. It must be so fun!"

He stared at her for a long while, and then favored her with a particularly roguish grin. "I know what you're doing, you know."

"Do you?" she grinned right back at him.

"You're just trying to trick me into playing for you." He stuck his nose up into the air with mock haughtiness. Then again, with Inuyasha, it might not just be mock. "And I'm not going to fall for it!"

She rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "Inuyasha! I'm not trying to get you to play for me! I'm trying to get you to play for you!" She took a moment longer than was necessary looking into his honey warm eyes, before dropping her gaze to her watch. "I'm gonna take off early tonight, okay? Souta's birthday," she explained while heading for the door.

Inuyasha could only nod mutely as he mulled over what she had said. About playing for himself…

Either way, he still had to call dear old Sesshomaru tonight, and God only knew how much fun that was going to be.

Inuyasha was carrying boxes full of cups and napkins and such from the storage room in the back to under the bar top. He had a pair of headphones hanging around his neck with the volume turned up, and every time he walked by Kagome, she could hear the crinkling of the music coming from the headphone speakers. It was _so_ distracting!

Well, she wasn't sure if it was the music, or just how close he was getting when he had to walk past her with the huge boxes in arm that was distracting. But she tried not to focus on that small detail.

She shook her head in attempt to clear it as she turned her attention back to the inventory papers she was supposed to be filling out and mailing to Sesshomaru.

She heard the panicked sounds coming from the doorway before she saw him. She looked up to see a small boy no taller than four feet with a ruffled mop of very orange hair come in.

Or more like run in and skid to a stop with tears just pouring down his face. "Oh my god," she breathed, as he turned to her with desperate eyes. Terrified eyes. Eyes in the most unique shade of green she'd ever seen.

Inuyasha's still topped his though.

She ran over to him, and kneeled down so as to be at eye level. "What's wrong?"

"Parents – guy – drunk – they're – where?!?!" was all she managed to get from his high-pitched broken wailing. She didn't know what to do with him!

Inuyasha walked back in, setting down the box when he saw the crying boy. "What's with the kid?" he asked.

Kagome turned to him, full of worry. She hadn't understood much of what he'd told her, but she did catch something about being drunk. Was he being abused? She didn't know how to deal with domestic violence! "We need to help him," she said slowly, unsure of herself.

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows. Some kid needed _their_ help? But on closer inspection he noticed the tears sliding down the squirts face. Had he lost his candy or something?

"What do we do?" Kagome whispered to him.

He rolled his eyes and squatted down next to the boy. "What's your name runt?"

"Sh-Shippo." He might have said more, but at that moment the door bells chimed again as the door was quite forcefully pushed open, and a very drunk, very sleazy looking man fell in. Kagome could smell the alcohol from all the way across the room. She also noticed the way Shippo cringed when he saw the door open.

Inuyasha took one glance at the man before looking back at Shippo. It didn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what was going on. Sure he was sketchy on the details, but those weren't important.

Kagome on the other hand still didn't know what was going on, but one look at Inuyasha and she knew what was going to happen. That dark look from before had returned to his features.

Amazingly slowly he cracked the knuckles on his hands and strode over to the drunkard. Inuyasha knew what it was like to have a bad childhood. He wasn't going to let that happen to anyone else! Not on his watch!

And for the second time in a week, Kagome watched Inuyasha punch some ones lights out.

The man was really too drunk to even see it coming, but Kagome saw the way Inuyasha moved, and couldn't help but notice that he was a natural fighter. You could just tell. She wondered, if in another place, and in another time, would Inuyasha have been good enough to be the kind of warrior that old legends spoke of? She smiled at herself. That's what you get for living with my grandfather. Thoughts of old legends. Ugh.

At any rate, _Inuyasha_ would definitely think he was.

The minute the drunk hit the floor, Shippo broke. Completely broke. He started to sob loudly, and he sank to the floor on his knees.

Call it maternal instinct, but even though Kagome still didn't know what was going on, she just couldn't let him sit there like that and cry his poor heart out! Because that's the kind of sobs they were. That soul-moving heart-wrenching type. She rushed over to him, slipped her arms around his tiny form, and rocked him back and forth.

All the noise had Miroku come running out of the back room to see what was happening.

Inuyasha spoke first, his voice rough and hauntingly sad. "You better call the police."

After a while they were finally able to get Shippo calm enough to explain what had happened. "He lived… in the apartment above us. Came downstairs this morning," he was sniffling uncontrollably. After a long pause he was able to continue. "With a g-g-gun!"

"You don't have to do this if you're not up for it Shippo," Kagome gently told the boy in her lap.

"No," Miroku warned quietly. "Let him get it out."

"Wanted me as a hostage for getting some money. I got out, but my mom and daddy, th-they, th-they… he shot them!" he finished with a shout as he dissolved into hysteric tears again.

"What's the bad man's name?" Kagome asked softly while smoothing his hair. She really hadn't been expecting to be playing mother to some distraught boy she didn't even know that day, but she didn't have it in her _not _to hold him.

"It-"

"It doesn't matter," Inuyasha cut him off firmly. "Don't worry about him anymore twerp. He doesn't deserve a name."

Inuyasha was acting lightly about the whole thing, but Kagome could see through him like glass. Cloudy glass, to be sure, but still glass. Behind his many fronts she was sure, beyond a doubt, that Inuyasha had a heart of gold. He just didn't like to show it.

"It'll be okay honey," Kagome heard herself whispering over the background noise of the police sirens wailing through the night sky. "It'll be okay."

-------------------------------------------------------

It's just so sad!

I think Hojo will be the blind date, but don't worry, Kouga's definitely in it too! How though…

Remember, reviews are welcome!


	8. Stolen Car Keys

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Seven

It had been a tense moment when the police had come. At first no one wanted to be the one to answer their questions, and after an awkward pause, they all began explaining at once. Eventually Inuyasha did all the talking. He kept it short and sweet. He didn't try to get the police to sympathize with the kid, he didn't get into any in-depth conversation about the nation's justice system, and most importantly, he didn't try to hit on the female officers.

"The nice police men are going to take you to a new home now Shippo," Kagome said gently. "Okay?"

Shippo nodded numbly, tearstained tracks still trailing down his cheeks.

"I'm sure you'll meet a lot of nice people your age at the orphanage."

Why wasn't he responding to her? Kagome could comfort a crying Shippo, but she was at a complete loss when it came to a lifeless Shippo. She wasn't quite sure what to say to him anymore. What could you say to a boy who'd just lost his whole world?

"We'll come visit you this weekend. Won't we Inuyasha?" She elbowed him in the ribs.

"Huh? Oh, sure thing kid."

"Kay," came the boy's weak response. The adrenaline had kicked off, and the reality of what had happened was finally starting to sink in.

It seemed strangely quiet after the police started to leave. Kagome followed them outside and waved goodbye.

Suddenly she realized what the wrecked pile of pink metal that she'd seen out of the corner of her eye was. Her bike! Her ruined, smashed bike. "Inuyasha!" she yelled.

He came running outside, hair still flying behind him. "What?" he asked breathlessly.

"My bike!" she wailed.

He gave her a dead-pan look. "Way to give someone a heart attack," he said dryly. "Jeez. A cold blooded murderer left this building not an hour ago and you're yelling about a bike!"

"Sorry… But the drunk did smash it up." She wouldn't use the word murderer. "How am I going to get home?" She started pacing around. The stress of the day was starting to catch up to her.

"Kagome!" he yelled to get her now frantic attention. "Jesus, calm down. I can drive you."

"You have a car?" she asked hopefully.

"Nope."

Her face fell. "Oh…"

He reached into his pocket. "But I've got Miroku's keys," he said, smirking in a way only he was capable of, while dangling them out in front of himself.

Kagome couldn't help but laugh.

Miroku was cleaning up the mess made by _another_ of Inuyasha's fights when he heard a car start in the parking lot. That wasn't entirely fair though. This time Inuyasha had actually been trying to _help_ someone instead of making his often hurt pride feel better.

Funny… That car sounded awfully familiar. With a frown starting to form on his face he reached down and felt his pocket.

No keys.

He ran to the window to see Inuyasha pull out of the parking lot in his car. "Damnit! That's the third time this week!" he yelled to no one in particular.

"Inuyasha," Kagome asked very tentatively. "Do you think he'll be okay?"

There was a long pause, and then slowly, he said, "Yeah, I think he will."

"How do you know?!" she demanded anxiously. "Some kids-"

"I know because the same thing happened to me!" he yelled sharply, effectively cutting her off.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "It's just, he wasn't even answering me, and, I hope he's all right."

Inuyasha didn't reply for so long that she'd forgot that she'd spoken. He started off slowly, for once in his life unsure of himself. "After it happens, when you realize that they're gone, forever, everything around you just kind of fades away. It's almost like you're, kind of…" he struggled to find the right wording. "Numb. That's it, numb."

He stared straight ahead at the road in front of them, not once looking at her, his knuckles going white on the steering wheel. Kagome realized that he hadn't talked spoken about this to anyone before. He was just starting to unravel his own feelings.

"He's being sent to an orphanage though. He won't feel, abandoned, there. He won't have to deal with, replacement parents. When I-" but he'd finally reached her house, and whatever spell had been making him talk so openly was broken. "I think he'll be fine," he finished somewhat lamely.

"I'm glad," she said with a small smile. But neither of them were sure if she meant glad for Shippo's well being, or glad for Inuyasha's. "Goodnight," she said softly.

"Night," he answered, golden eyes glowing in the dark.

"Remind me again why I'm doing this?"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled from the back seat. "We said we would! End of story! Besides, I'm worried about him."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Miroku said reassuringly from the seat.

"Thanks Miroku."

"Oh, sure," Inuyasha said while rolling his eyes. "She listens to you!"

"Inuyasha, your lack of charm is not my fault."

"Please. Spare me the dramatics."

"I, for one," Miroku continued, "find it a miracle that _I'm_ actually the one driving my car."

That brought a smile to their faces.

"Keh! Fine," Inuyasha relented. "Here's some gas money." He rummaged through the pocket in his coat and placed a total of two dimes, a quarter, and five pennies in Miroku's hand.

"Thank you, oh, so much," Miroku said dryly, while pulling up to the orphanage.

Inuyasha just smirked.

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How was it? You're going to _love_ the next few chapters. They're really cute.

And, of course, you meet Sango.

Please review!


	9. Monopoly

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Eight

The minute they stepped into the building Shippo came barreling down the hall to meet them.

"Kagome!" he yelled as he reached up to give her a bear hug.

She knelt down to hug him back. "Hello Shippo!" she said cheerily.

Shippo stepped back and looked up at Inuyasha curiously.

"Hey runt," Inuyasha said with a smirk. Shippo pouted at the name, but you could tell that he knew that Inuyasha didn't really mean it, and that he liked the attention.

"How have you been doing Shippo?" Miroku asked.

Shippo's face fell at the painful reminder that he was now living at an orphanage. He shrugged his shoulders. "Okay. You wanna see my new room?"

"Sure thing!" Kagome said warmly.

He led them through the rather plain white halls until he came to a room with the number 12B engraved onto a small grey plate by the door.

There was not much inside the small room other than a bunk bed and two desks on either side of the closet.

"So you've got a roommate?" asked Kagome.

"Tell me she's pretty Shippo!" Miroku said with his usual happy smile.

All three heads in the room snapped to stare in his direction.

"What?" he asked.

"He's eight years old!" Kagome shrieked.

A head popped in the doorway. "Is everything okay?" asked an older lady who worked at the orphanage.

Kagome laughed nervously. "Yes, yes. Just fine."

"Oh." She didn't seem convinced. "Well, visiting hours are over at three." She began briskly walking down the hallway. "Come along Sango."

Following her lifelessly down the hallway was a tall slender girl in her late teenage years. Her hair was swept up into a high pony, and tied with a pink ribbon, but that hairstyle only showed off the dark circles under her eyes. Of course, the only part of her Miroku saw was her behind as she walked down the hallway.

"I'll… be right back," he declared as he slipped out the door.

Inuyasha sighed. What a moron.

"So, what do you want to do before we have to leave?" Kagome asked with an open smile.

The way his face perked up was adorable. "Can we play Monopoly?"

"Of course we can." It can't possibly hurt if it makes him this happy.

Miroku stealthily followed the girl called Sango down the hallways. The old lady escorted her to a room numbered 17A, before she locked the door, from the outside, and went to check on the other children.

If truth be told, Miroku was inwardly a little freaked out by that. Why the hell was she just locked in her room? She didn't look dangerous…

He walked over to the door. It was just a simple bolt lock that he could turn right now if he wanted. They weren't locking anyone else out, they were locking her in.

Why?

Miroku had always been a curious person, had always soaked up knowledge like a sponge, and right now he couldn't just walk away from such a solvable mystery. Especially not when it concerned a beautiful girl…

He turned the lock, and knocked lightly on the door as he opened it.

She was sitting on her bed, staring out the window on the opposite side of the room. She didn't turn around or acknowledge him in any way shape or form.

"Hello beautiful!" he said.

She jumped up and spun around. "Who are you?! I thought you were Mrs. Morimoto!"

"Nope," he smiled winningly. "I'm just Miroku."

Now that she was facing him properly, he could see eyes. Before, she was just another girl. Now, the look in her eyes was so painful, she looked as if she'd seen the end of the world and managed to come back alive. It gave her a terrible beauty that shook him to the core. With a start he realized that she probably had seen the end of _her_ world. She was in an orphanage after all.

He tore his eyes off her and looked around the room. It was so bare. There were no knick-knacks lying around, no personal objects on the dresser. Only the bare essentials. Compared to this, Shippo's room was a freaking toy store.

The answer dawned on him with a wave of sickening realization. He drew in an unusually shaky breath. "They lock you in, because you try to kill yourself." It wasn't a question.

She seemed surprised. "You're pretty smart. Most people don't figure it out."

Something deep inside him snapped. He'd seen so many deaths in his life already. Too many. He would _not_ let someone throw theirs away when they didn't have to. He wouldn't let something so beautiful leave the world without truly living in it first. He wouldn't.

He flashed her one of his best smiles. "Why don't you hang around for at least one more week?" he suggested casually. "Me and two of my friends are here visiting Shippo-"

"The little boy with the red hair?" she asked faintly, her voice nearly cracking on the word boy.

"That's the one. When we come to visit him next weekend, I'll bring you something. Okay? Promise me?"

He'd _bring_ her something?! How dare he make her promise that?! He didn't know how _long_ a week was for her! He didn't know!

"My father died when I was six, Sango. My mother soon after. I know how it feels. Promise me one more week."

She tried staring him down, as she absently noticed how much deeper his voice was when he was being serious about something.

He didn't look away.

She sighed deeply. "Fine. Another week."

Kagome sat back with an amused look on her face. She'd been knocked out of the game ages ago. It was just Inuyasha versus Shippo now, and boy were they serious about it.

Inuyasha had hotels on Boardwalk and Park Place, but Shippo had three or four houses on each of the pink and orange properties. They each had two railroads.

With all the noise that they'd been making, a small crowd of children had closed in to watch the match. Currently cheers of INU-YA-SHA and SHI-PPO were being taken up, drawing strange glances from the orphanage workers.

Kagome hadn't known that two people could make such a big deal out of _Monopoly _and have so much fun with it. They went back and forth, back and forth, trading money and meaningless taunts. Finally Shippo took up the dice.

The crowd held their breath. One dice fell, a five. The other… a two. He'd landed on Boardwalk. Alternate shouts of victory and defeat rang through the air.

Shippo pouted. "Well you're just lucky."

"It's all in the skill Shippo. All in the skill." Inuyasha looked more smug than she'd ever seen him, but this time, she could see the good natured-ness of it glimmering just under the surface in his eyes.

All the small children clambered onto Inuyasha. Whether to congratulate or to tackle him will forever remain a mystery, but the look on Inuyasha's face was absolutely priceless. His eyes got big, and he was all like "What are you doing?" Then the miniature chair made for five year olds that he'd been sitting on started to tip backwards with the weight of all the children climbing all over him, and it fell over.

They fell in a big heap on the floor with a thud.

A beat of silence passed.

And then Inuyasha decided to get revenge. He started smirking and tackling the kids to the floor left and right, and then he started tickling them. They were a big pile of screaming and laughing children playing with the father they'd never had.

Kagome didn't have the slightest clue as to what had come over big tough Inuyasha, but it warmed her heart to see him this way. I mean, he was actually smiling! He looked so happy! Like he'd finally let go of his problems, even if it was just for a few minutes, playing with innocent kids. It would do wonders for his stress levels.

Suddenly, she remembered the time that he'd been so happy to beat her at their math homework, and the time he'd "conveniently" forgotten to show her how to get the soda-pop tap working, and the time they'd had a pillow fight, and the time he'd fixed her shutter, and the time he'd got detention for speaking "bad" French to the French teacher, and the time he'd stolen Miroku's keys.

This was the real Inuyasha. He wasn't such a grump after all. Underneath he was a normal fun loving guy, and she wondered how bad his past must have been to make him so closed up in the first place. She had a sudden urge to make all of that hurt go away for him, so he could be happy and have this kind of fun all the time.

She let herself watch them with a warm smile on her face. Inuyasha caught her gaze and grinned.

God, his eyes were more alive now than she'd ever seen them. They looked as if there actually was liquid gold swirling around in them, kept hot from all his strong emotions. Absently she wondered if everyone's eyes were so expressive, or if she'd only noticed on Inuyasha because she cared for him so much.

Wait… she did?

He stood up brushing off his clothes. "Okay," he said. "That's enough half-pints." He straightened his dark colored jacket on his shoulders and looked around. "Miroku's not back yet?"

Speak of the devil. "I never knew you were good with children Inuyasha."

Inuyasha just rolled his eyes, but before they walked outside, she saw him throw one last smile to the kids in the lobby.

---------------------------------------------

Wasn't that just _adorable_?!?!

Review. Review. Review.

Oh, and I need some idea's for Rin. Got any?


	10. Found Out

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Nine

            "I'm taking the night off Inuyasha," said Miroku as he grabbed his coat off the rack next to the door.

            "Whatever," Inuyasha replied as he tried juggling three apples.

            He pulled on his gloves. The first snowfall of the year had come this morning. "I'll see you two tomorrow."

            "Bye!" echoed two voices, one cheerful, one bored.

            "Hey Inuyasha?"

            "Huh?" He dropped an apple. "Ugh! Look what you made me do!"

            "Sorry, but do you know if this is Miroku's only job? I mean, it doesn't start until five in the afternoon…"

            "He goes to the community college here in town." He picked up his apple. "He works here to pay for it. Well half of it. He's got some obscure cousin about a million times removed named Mushin that he stayed with when his parents died, who pays for the other half."

            "Oh." She eyed the very bruised apples. "Hey, don't quit your day job or anything."

            "Feh. Very funny," he replied dryly.

            Miroku did not get nervous easily. He was always the one who kept the cool head during a crisis. He was always the suave one with the girls. He could always charm his way out of anything.

            But right now… Right now he couldn't help but feel his hands get a little sweaty. What if she hadn't kept that promise? Death Miroku had had to deal with, but never suicide.

            He got out of his car and walked into the orphanage. At least Inuyasha hadn't wanted to know where he was going. He wasn't quite sure if he could've explained this one away.

            Making sure none of the grandmotherly child workers saw him, he went over to room 7A, pushed back the lock, and slipped inside.

            She was staring lifelessly at the wall opposite her. No doubt she thought he was Mrs. Morimoto come to deliver her food again. But he felt relief wash through him. She was still alive. If only she could understand how much such a small word could mean: alive.

            "Hello beautiful!" came his customary greeting. He'd startled her again, but not quite so badly as the first time.

            "You're a few days early." She was as breath taking as before.

            "Didn't want to risk being late," he told her somberly.

            She looked away. He was making her feel guilty! That wasn't fair! He didn't know how much it hurt inside. How much it hurt trying to live everyday knowing that you'd wouldn't, couldn't see your family ever again. How much it hurt having them ripped away without so much as a goodbye. And no amount of explaining could make him understand.

            He stepped forward and pulled his hand out from behind his back. In it were a few colorful carnations in varying shades of pink. Nothing big or obnoxious. He held them out to her.

            She looked surprised. "For me?" she asked incredulously. _No one_ had ever brought her flowers before.

            "No," he said perfectly serious. "They're for that girl right over there," and he pointed to a spot over her shoulder. And she actually looked!

            Oh God, I'm such an idiot! she thought. Blushing, she turned back to him. "Thanks."

            He saw a flash of light heartedness skip across her features as she smelled them, but it was quickly drowned out by sorrow so quickly he had to wonder if he even saw it in the first place.

            But as she looked at them in her hands she seemed to get angry. "Flowers?!?! You think bringing me god-damned flowers is going to make everything better?!?!"

            "Of course not!" he scoffed. But at least she was feeling something other than the pain.

            Now she was just confused. "What…?"

            He pushed her into a seating position on her bed, pulled over her desk chair, and sat on it facing her. "Tell me about them." It was such a simple statement, and the way he said it made it seem as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world. It was like he was asking her about the weather or some ridiculous thing.

            She tightened her grip on the flowers in her hand, and screwed her eyes shut, but it didn't stop the tear that came leaking out, and with the tears, came the story.

            She drew in a ragged breath. "I was on the girls basketball team…"

            Kagome sat on a barstool staring listlessly at the wall. There hadn't been any customers for the past twenty minutes. Every now and then she would glance over at the clock. 9:33. 9:40. 9:51. Only ten more minutes!

            "You can go home if you want, you know," Inuyasha offered.

            "But it's not ten yet."

            "Feh. You say that as if you want to stay here until it's ten."

            She opened her mouth to protest, but realized he was right. "Are you sure?" she asked cautiously.

            He rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't have said it if I weren't sure. Go on."

            "Okay," she said hesitantly. "Thanks! Bye!" Inuyasha watched her grab her coat and run outside until she was safely on her bike and pedaling her way out of the parking lot like usual, before walking into the back room (which would be the manager's room if he were ever here). They mostly used it just for storage. Well, everyone but Inuyasha. He used it for something more. He walked over to the back corner and reached up to the ceiling. Even as tall as he was, he still needed to stand on his tip toes to reach the cleverly hidden latch in the ceiling. As he pulled down on it, a set of attic-like stair cases descended from the unknown about second story. He walked up it and into his small apartment. Grabbing his guitar he sat down on his very small but comfy couch.

            He wanted so bad to be rid of high school, of this small town. He knew he'd miss the security of it once he was gone, but he also knew that he could be so much better at doing something else. Something different. Something better. He wanted to be able to play his music where it would be appreciated, and the school auditorium was most definitely not one of those places.

            He strummed out a few chords. If he could just figure his damn life out!

            Kagome was happily pedaling out of the parking lot and down the small town road when she realized that she'd forgotten her small school bag. With a sigh she turned around and rode back towards The Club. Hastily she propped her bike up against the brick wall and hurried inside.

            "Inuyasha I forgot my…" she trailed off. He wasn't here. He couldn't have left already. She'd have seen him! Now that she thought about it, she'd always been the first to leave. Where did he go home to anyways? "Inuyasha?" she called. She grabbed her bag from behind the bar and walked towards the storage room. There seemed to be a light on back there. Why would he be back there?

            She walked in there and found a staircase. In open-mouthed surprise she climbed up them. Was that guitar music she heard? At the top was a small door which had been left slightly ajar. Definitely guitar music. A voice started singing along with the melody line. Inuyasha's voice to be exact.

            She stepped in as quietly as she could. It was a small apartment up here! And over there, sitting on a couch, eyes closed, head bobbing along in time with the music, strumming on his guitar, was Inuyasha.

            It was a song about everyone, no matter who they were or where they came from, having the chance to do something amazing with their lives. She could see now why he never wanted to play in front of anyone. It was so personal. It was like all his very feelings were just pouring out of him as he sang that, and those weren't things to be exhibited. She'd always heard that performers who could make you feel emotion through their performance were the best kind, but now she realized that they had to be damn brave about it.

            But still… Inuyasha was no coward, and it was getting in the way of dreams! She'd seen him watch that band on Saturday. He wanted this. He wanted to do big things in the world. She could tell just from the way he was singing this song. And now, there was no doubt in her mind that he'd be good at it.

            "Did you write it yourself?" she asked softly, so softly he almost thought he'd imagined it. His eyes snapped open and he nearly jumped out of his skin. "What the hell? Kagome! What are you-? How did you-?"

            "It was beautiful," she said with a small smile.

            "I had practice late one day after school. When I came home…" She couldn't say it! She just couldn't! It would make all the hurt come back if she did! She couldn't go through that again!

            "It hurts voicing it, doesn't it?"

            Sango noticed that he seemed to have two primary moods. Either he was playful and funny and light hearted, or he was completely serious and calculating. She'd seen both quite frequently in the small time she'd known him. He seemed to switch between the two as the situation called for it.

            "It's like it's pushing in on you until you can't breathe anymore. Right?"

            Ever so slightly, she nodded. Now that he'd put words to it, that's exactly how she felt. He'd been through this before. He'd told her himself, and yet he seemed okay. Maybe, just maybe, she would be okay someday too? She squashed down the feeling. It made her feel guilty to be okay without them.

            She sighed. "My father… hew was a general in the military. Some people… didn't always like what he was doing. There are always a few fanatical critics of the government." Her eyes welled up with tears again, remembering how her dad had always brushed away that fact like it was nothing to him. "Someone had set fire to our house while I was shooting hoops in the gym!" She threw the flowers to the ground and stood up angrily. "I should have been there!"

            Miroku stood up just as angrily as she had. "Listen to yourself! Did you love your father?!"

            She turned stormy eyes on him. "Of course!" she seethed.

            "Did he love you!?"

            "Yes!"

            "Then would he have wanted you to die with him?! If you die then you're letting the man who killed your father win! You're a _fighter_ Sango! An athlete, a competitor! Your father was in the frigging military! Any other girl would have melted away in this situation! You're still here! And not by coincidence either, you're strong Sango. Don't give up now." He had started out yelling at her for all he was worth, but ended just above a whisper.

            Sango looked as if she were slowly deflating. She drew in a ragged breath, and then started sobbing. Just started crying her heart out. Her knees hit the floor with a thud, and the sobs continued to rack her lean body.

            Miroku leant down next to her and pulled her shaking form into a tight hug. "It'll be okay beautiful. It'll all be okay."

---------------------------------------

Finally huh?

I'm not really sure where I'm headed with the end for this. Kouga will probably be thrown into the mix soon.

Any ideas? Review review!


	11. Pity

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Ten

Silence descended over the two like a blanket, and neither wanted to be the first to break it.

Finally Kagome decided she wanted some answers. "You live up here?"

Inuyasha stared at her dumbly for a moment, then narrowed his eyes suspiciously, and if she didn't know better, even a little bit hurt. "You're going to go blab it to everyone now aren't you?"

She looked surprised. "Of course not! Not if you don't want me to!" She tilted her head to the side curiously. "Why's it a secret anyways?"

Inuyasha considered her for a long time. So long she thought he wasn't going to answer her. "Because Myoga, my 'legal guardian' is never around. It's not exactly legal. In fact, I haven't seen him in three years now…"

For one short moment, Kagome saw a look cross his features that was silently asking her for reassurance. With a start she realized that he didn't have anyone else in his life to go to for that. He was all on his own. She couldn't even begin to describe the feeling it gave her that he'd come to her for that. For starters it terrified her. But it also made her feel strangely warm. Really very warm. But another moment and the look was gone.

"Inuyasha…"

He walked over to the small refrigerator set up in the kitchen area and threw her a coke. "Almost ran away once when I was fifteen. Oh, don't look so surprised."

"Ran away?" she squeaked. "To where?"

"You know, I never really thought about that. I was running away _with_ someone actually." His eyes clouded over. "She looked like you."

Silence. She had a feeling that this conversation was getting really serious very quickly.

"Kikyo. That's what you called me that first day: Kikyo."

"Yeah, Kikyo." He played around with the tab on his coca cola can for awhile. She'd realized a long time ago that with Inuyasha, you just had to have a lot of patience. "I loved her," he said without looking up. "I was only fifteen, and it was so _stupid_, but I did. Said she loved me back. She didn't," he confessed bitterly. "She would've taken _anyone_ with her. Just didn't want to be alone."

Kagome sat down on a kitchen chair stiffly. What was she supposed to say? How was she supposed to act? Inuyasha wasn't the type to gush his soul out like this, and frankly she didn't know how to handle it. "I, I'm so sorry," she whispered.

His eyes darted over to her and he seemed to remember that she was there. Great. The last thing he needed was for her to think of him as some cry baby. Angrily he slammed his can down onto the table. "I don't need your damn pity Kagome!"

She stood up just as angrily. God! Inuyasha had more mood swings that ten women combined! "I don't pity you! I'm sympathizing with you!" she shot back.

"What the hell's the difference?!"

She passed a hand over her eyes. "Inuyasha! I don't pity you! God! Did it even occur to you that maybe I admire you for coming out of everything you went through still sane?! Your parents died! You had no one to raise you! The whole Kikyo ordeal! Yet you've managed to land yourself an amazing apartment and a guitar! I know that could do so much with your life if you tried, and I know that you know it too!" she shouted right back at him.

His eyes looked as if they were on fire. "What the hell do you know about me? You've known me for a month!" he snarled.

"And I've spent six days a week with you since! I know that you're stubborn! I know that you're strong! I know that you're a winner! I know that you've had a hard past! I know that you don't take no for an answer! I know that you stick up for yourself and the people you care about! I know that you're not afraid to say what you want to or to take what's yours! I've seen you with Shippo and the guy that came after him, I've seen you with those awful jocks, and I've seen you with the poor kids at the orphanage! I've heard you sing! I know that you don't want to stay in this stupid town! You want to know something mister? Neither do I! It's not all about you! But you've got the talent to be somebody once you leave here. I believe in you Inuyasha. Why can't you believe in yourself?"

She was having a hard time breathing properly after that. He wasn't going to be mad at her, was he?

Inuyasha was left, for once in his life, speechless. He opened his mouth to say something a few times, but shut it quickly after. How the hell did she have him figured out so fast? _No one_ knew him that well. No one ever had. Not Sesshomaru, not Myoga, not Kikyo, not Miroku. No one. So how the hell did she?

When he didn't respond, she began to get panicky. "I'll… see you tomorrow," she whispered, and all but ran from the room.

Sango took a deep breath. Not the kind you take after you've fallen off a bike and winded yourself, but a real one. The kind that settles your soul. She had cried. So much, that she wasn't sure how long she'd been just crying. She hadn't been able to make the tears stop falling though, and so she'd given in to the grief for the first time. But now, now that all her tears were cried, she felt better. Cleaner. As if they'd been the rain to wash all the dirt off her soul. It still hurt, when she thought about them, but it wasn't so overwhelming anymore. She exhaled slowly, pushing herself further into the warmth of Miroku's chest.

Wait… With a start she realized that yes, she was gripping the front of Miroku's shirt as if for dear life, and yes, she had cried a wet spot all over the front of it. Slowly, she pulled away and looked up at him with wide eyes. His features were dark with what she assumed was concern as he watched her, but then as if determining that she was okay, he was all smiles again.

Miroku smiled. Thank God. She was okay. Well, maybe not totally, but he could tell just by looking at her that she was going to be now. Her eyes weren't so stormy anymore. True, they weren't as seductive either, but he'd rather have the happier eyes any day. Besides, they held a beauty all their own. "How are you feeling?"

"Sorry I got your shirt wet," she mumbled.

"It was a small price to pay."

She stood up quickly. It wasn't fair that he could make her feel this way! She looked at him seriously. "Thank you."

"Anytime!" How could he be so casual about this whole thing?! He started to walk towards the door.

"Wait!" she called. He stopped and looked back at her with one eyebrow raised. "You are coming this weekend to visit… that Shippo boy, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!" He winked at her, and then he was gone.

The next day Miroku stood behind the bar washing glasses, wondering what was up with Inuyasha. He just kept dropping what he was doing for a few moments to stare off into the distance. And he was being unusually grouchy. Okay, so maybe that wasn't so unusual, but still! What could possibly be wrong with him?

The bells over the door started ringing against each other. Miroku turned to see who it was, and saw Inuyasha visibly flinch as Kagome walked in.

Kagome walked inside looking extremely tense. So she's all upset too? Did something happen between them? Stiffly she walked over to the counter to put away her bag and put on her apron. "Hello Inuyasha, Miroku," she said pleasantly, but with none of her usual bounce.

"Hey," he replied just as tersely.

Miroku walked towards one of the coffee tables to pick up a stray magazine, and casually tossed over his shoulder, "Lover's spat?"

"Miroku!" both yelled.

Kagome tucked her hair behind one ear nervously. "Look Inuyasha, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it and-"

Inuyasha had been all ready to yell at her some more. Even had a few choice insults worked out. But he just couldn't bring himself to say them. "It's okay," he said seriously, and a little gruffly, his golden eyes boring holes into her own.

A watery smile appeared on her face. "Really?"

She was just so open. Didn't she realize how rare a trait that was? He rolled his eyes. "Yeah."

She smiled warmly, and just like that, things were back to normal.

-------------------------------------------

Schools out, so I can update more frequently now!

I think I've got the ending figured out, but your reviews are still really helping me come up with ideas! Thanks! Keep it up!


	12. Player

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Eleven

Sango walked into The Club cautiously. They said this was where he worked. What if it wasn't? What if she'd made another mistake? Suddenly she heard two voices being raised coming from the back of the front room.

"Inuyasha! You said you would!" a girl was yelling.

"I did not!" the guy named Inuyasha countered.

"You did so!"

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

"Not!"

"So!"

There was a guy and a girl who looked to be only a few years younger than herself, arguing over only god knows what.

"Not!"

"So!"

She looked on in wonder. How long would they keep doing that?

"Not!"

"So!"

"Ahem! Excuse me?"

The two looked over at her and blinked. When had she gotten there?

"Can I help you?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes, I'm-" she stopped dead. The one called Inuyasha, he had length waist black hair. Flashbacks suddenly clouded her vision and she shook her head to clear it of the memories gathering there, and of the tears starting to gather in her eyes. "You! Your hair!"

"Yeah? What of it?" But the next thing he knew, her foot had landed in his shin. "What was that for?" he yelled. But she just did it again. She even tried to punch him a few times, but now he was ready for her. He blocked every hit, but his mind was still racing trying to figure out who she was and why the hell she was trying to beat him up. "What's with psycho-chick Kagome?!" he yelled while dodging another kick to the head.

"I've never seen her before in my- Wait! She was the girl at the orphanage!"

"The one Miroku chased after?" he asked incredulously.

"Stop talking about me as if I weren't here!" 'psycho-chick' yelled, tears streaking their way down her face. She was beyond hysterical now, but if anything, it only made her stronger. "I am here! And I plan on staying alive for a while yet you bastard!" she snarled.

"What?! I'm not going to kill you!" He turned to Kagome as if to make sure that psycho-chick had in fact implied that he was going to kill her. "I'm not going to kill her!"

"Shut up! This is for my family!" she screamed.

Miroku came rushing out front to see what all the ruckus was. "Inuyasha! Not another f-" he froze, his voice dying in his throat. "Sango?!?"

But she didn't give any sign that she'd heard him. Just kept wildly throwing punches and trying to see through her tears.

"Get her off me Miroku!" Inuyasha threatened. He could take her no problem, but he didn't want to hurt a girl.

Miroku was not by any standard a dumb man, but he could not for life of him figure out what the hell was going on. He rushed over and grabbed Sango around the waist from behind, pushing her tight against his chest to keep her still. She kicked and screamed to be let go. "He killed my family!" she shouted despairingly. "Let me go!"

He tightened his hold on her and started rocking her back and forth. After a while she shuddered, and it seemed as if all of her strength drained away from her body as she sank against him. "He killed them!" she whispered hoarsely.

Inuyasha looked as clueless as ever. Kagome just looked worried. Miroku heaved a sigh and hefted her over to the couch. Not that he didn't like holding her…

"So her name's Sango," Kagome said quietly. "I hope she's okay."

Inuyasha just gave a noncommittal grunt.

Miroku knelt down in front of her. "Sango," he said in that strange calmly serious voice she'd only ever heard him use. She looked up at him through watery eyes. A strange feeling passed through him at the sad state she was in, and he found himself brushing some hair that had fallen out of her pony tail away from her face. "Inuyasha only just turned seventeen. He's never left this town. He didn't kill your family. You're confusing him with someone else."

"The police said long black hair," she mumbled doubtfully. She looked only half awake.

"I promise it wasn't Inuyasha. Here." He fluffed up one of the obnoxiously colorful pillows. "Get some sleep."

In no time flat she was asleep. That must have really drained her.

"What the hell was that all about Miroku?"

Miroku sighed. Inuyasha was just so thick sometimes.

Miroku and Inuyasha were in the back doing inventory again when Sango woke up. She sat up groggy and confused. Where in the world was she? She looked around. Black flooring, colorful couches, bar, dance floor. She'd definitely never seen this place before.

"Oh Sango you're awake!" said a delighted voice behind her. She turned and looked. Standing there was a girl with black hair and blue eyes, wearing a black 'The Club' apron. Was she in 'The Club' right now? And more importantly, how did that overly happy girl know her?

"Who are you? How did you know my name?" she asked suspiciously. She tried to remember what had happened before she fell asleep, but it was all a blur. Oh that's right! She'd been looking for Miroku where he worked. Maybe this The Club place was it.

"I'm Kagome!" she offered her hand to shake. "I'm a friend of the guy you beat up earlier," she said pleasantly.

"What? I didn't beat anyone up."

Kagome's eyes narrowed a little. Whether in suspicion, concern, or confusion she could only guess. "Don't you remember?"

"Remember what?"

"Oh no. You do know who you are, right?"

"Of course! My name's Sango."

"Phew!" she exclaimed in relief. The last thing they needed was a psycho-chick who'd lost all her memories.

"I remember coming to find Miroku. Is he here?"

"In the back. Hey, I wanted to ask you."

"Yeah?"

"You're from the orphanage right?"

"Yes…"

"Well, you've probably been there awhile, and I was wondering if you could give a friend of mine a hand. His name's Shippo and-"

"I arrived there after he did."

"Oh! What happened?" she blurted.

"I was sent here because it was supposed to be a less stressful environment. Apparently that's what I needed after my family was murdered," she had tried to say it sarcastically, but her voice cracked on the word family.

Kagome opened her mouth, but shut it quickly. What do you say to someone who has recently lost their whole world?

Sango shook her head. "Even my pet cat…"

"I…Why don't you come work here with us? It'll give you something to do, and the pays not bad," she suggested, trying to be helpful. "Inuyasha and Miroku are actually pretty decent guys once you get to know them!"

"Maybe."

"You met Miroku at the orphanage right?"

"Yes."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry about that. He can be such a loser sometimes."

Sango frowned. "A loser?"

Kagome looked a little surprised. "Didn't he feel you up?"

"N-no!" Sango spluttered.

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"Wow…"

"What do you mean 'wow'?" Sango asked suspiciously.

But their little heart to heart was cut short as Miroku came out of the back room, escorting a giggling girl to the door. Three things happened in quick succession. (1) Miroku grabbed the girl in a place he really shouldn't have. (2) The girl threw him into a wall and stomped off. He watched her go with a dreamy sigh and (3) heard Sango gasp. It was the type of gasp which everyone in the near vicinity could hear.

Miroku froze at the sound. A sinking feeling was developing in his stomach. Slowly he turned around. Dammit! It was her! She was supposed to be asleep anyways! "Hello Sango! How are you feeling?"

Sango's expression turned icy. She felt like such a moron for even trusting him in the first place! She hadn't known _anything_ about him, and yet she'd opened up to him; even if it was only a little bit. God she felt stupid!

Finding out a potential love interest is a player can do that to anyone.

"Fine thank you," she snapped. She stormed outside, head held high, and refused to look at him on her way out. The door slammed shut behind her and Miroku turned away from it, swearing under his breath.

Kagome timidly spoke up. "Buy her a kitten."

Miroku turned and gave her a look that clearly said that he thought she'd gone mad.

"A kitten." Kagome couldn't have forgotten the way Sango had said 'Even my pet cat died…' if she'd tried to. "You've got to trust me on this one Miroku. She'll love it!"

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Jeez. Even I'm getting sick of all this drama!

Review! Or else!


	13. Enter Kirara

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Twelve

Shippo had been allowed to visit his friends at The Club. They were currently playing a game of tic-tac-toe. Kagome and Shippo versus Inuyasha.

"Ha! I win! Again!" Inuyasha shouted victoriously. He was insufferable! Even Shippo thought so!

The bells over the door chimed noisily and Kagome turned to see who it was. A very tall business man wearing a crisp looking suit with short-cut black hair had walked inside. What's a business man doing in here? She was about to turn back to the tic-tac-toe game, but then she did a double-take. That business man had the _exact_ same shade of gold colored eyes that Inuyasha did.

Speaking of Inuyasha, he had gone incredibly tense on the barstool next to her. Confused, she looked from Inuyasha to the business man, and back to Inuyasha again. What was going on? Finally the man spoke in a cold and aloof tone of voice.

"Hello, little brother." One of his eyebrows was lifted in a shadow of amusement, but that was the only emotion visible on his face.

Shippo had been sitting cross legged on his barstool, but now he leaned forward and whispered in Inuyasha's ear. "Dude, he just called you little!"

Both Kagome and Inuyasha sent him incredulous looks. Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the kid's stupidity while Kagome tried to explain. "You're supposed to be surprised that he said brother, not little."

Shippo's mouth formed a perfect 'o' in understanding. Kagome smiled. Inuyasha might think it was stupid, but she thought it was cute!

"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked bluntly. Kagome could see immediately that there was no love lost between these two.

"The yearly check-up." His gaze swept the room looking for anything out of place or uncared for. Then his eyes landed on Kagome. She looked back at him, but couldn't hold his gaze for long. His eyes were so cold and distant! They might be the same color, but they were nothing like Inuyasha's!

"So is this the new tramp?" he asked just as coolly as before.

Kagome felt her cheeks heat up. Why did _everyone_ assume that there was something going on between Inuyasha and herself?! And how dare he call her that! "Hey! You can't-"

But Inuyasha beat her to it. "_Don't_ call her that," he warned darkly, his eyes fiery. He was always so passionate about everything that he did, and once again she was reminded how different his eyes were from his brother's.

"Is this one going to ask you to do equally ridiculous things?" he continued. "Because she looks like the last one."

"You think I hadn't noticed or something?!" Inuyasha yelled. "And FYI she's not like her at all. Are you Kagome?" he asked without taking his eyes off of his brother.

It took her a moment to register that he was talking _to_ her, and not _about_ her. "Of course not!"

"Besides, there's nothing going on between Kagome and me, so butt out Sesshomaru!"

So his name's Sesshomaru. That's a- Wait! Is this the mysterious owner of The Club who manages it from afar?! He's Inuyasha's brother?! "You're Sesshomaru?" she exclaimed.

He slid his cold gaze back over to her. Embarrassed, she turned on Inuyasha. "You never told me you had a brother!"

"It's not like you ever asked," he replied defensively.

Silently fuming, Kagome turned to take Shippo and walk him home, just to get out of there, but found the bar empty. She looked over and saw the door still swinging shut.

"Huh, I wonder where he got to?" Inuyasha wondered.

Somewhere outside a small boy sighed a very exasperated and grown up sigh. "They're so immature…"

Sango was not proud to say how indecisive she felt. She hardly ever felt this way! She was a pick-one-of-the-choices-and-go-with-it kind of girl. But now…

She knew Miroku had saved her life. Looking back, she was afraid of what might have happened if hadn't come along. She would give him that much, and couldn't thank him enough. On the other hand, he was a total player and an apparent pervert. He was really good looking, and had done so much for her, and she had thought that maybe, just maybe… but then he'd gone and done that! She didn't know what to do!

There was a knock on her door, which was no longer locking her in. "Come in Mrs. Morimoto." She heard the shuffling of feet, but instead of the old woman's voice greeting her, she heard an impossibly adorable meow.

She spun around, and sure enough, there was a kitten! Being held by none other than Miroku himself. The kitten couldn't have been more than a couple of months old. It was cream colored, and had black markings. It looked as cute as it sounded.

"Is this some sick way to pick up girls?" she asked rather coldly. But he'd been expecting as much.

"Don't be that way beautiful." Flattery had always worked for him before, why not now?

"Do you call all your girlfriends that or just me?" she responded.

Miroku sat the kitten on the floor, who proceeded to patrol around the room curiously. The baby cat's fur looked so soft!

"Sango, I'm sorry."

When he looked at her with such soft eyes, she found it hard to stay angry with him. Those eyes were almost as soft as the kittens. But she had to stay angry! "Miroku, you grabbed a random girls butt in the middle of a public place!" she yelled incredulously. "She could sue you for sexual harassment if she wanted!"

"Hey, at least I knew her name!" he said defensively.

"Oh yeah? What was it?"

"Tamara. No! It was Takara! Wait! Oh it doesn't matter!"

"How doesn't it matter!?"

"I never did it to _you_, did I?"

"Am I that repulsive?"

"Re-repulsive?" All the anger left his voice and a challenging lilt took its place. "You think you're repulsive?"

Was he smiling? Suddenly she felt very uncomfortable. Like she had gone from being the predator to being the prey, and that there wasn't anything she could do about it. Unconsciously she took a step backwards. Was it just her or was he getting closer?

"It could be because I find you repulsive," he said with a thoughtful expression, but laughed as her jaw dropped open. Damn him and his jokes! "Or… because I respect the way you do things." He let that sink in for a moment before smiling hugely. He'd reverted back to playful mood again. How did he do that? Back and forth, back and forth. It was like watching a frigging ping-pong match! "However, if you want me to, I'd be happy to oblige!" He reached out, but she caught his hand in hers before it could get too close.

"Thanks but no thanks," she replied sarcastically. With a blush, she realized how close they'd gotten and dropped his hand in favor of picking up the kitten. She was just as soft as she looked! She smiled at Miroku. "I think I'll name her Kirara!"

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Kirara makes an appearance!

The next chapter has one of my favorite Inu/Kag moments in it! So stick around!

And don't forget to review! Thanks!


	14. Best Friends and Boy Friends

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Thirteen

Overall, the run in with Sesshomaru hadn't went _too_ bad. He'd even grudgingly let Sango work Saturdays with them. Which was where they were now. Except they weren't having too much fun, because Kagome was in a particularly bad mood. And it goes without saying that that is completely un-Kagome-like.

A customer came over and ordered a bottled water. Kagome threw open the refrigerator, grabbed the water, pushed it across the counter, and slammed the door shut. Ignoring the frightened looks her customer was giving her, she snatched up the money, stuffed it into the cash register, and slammed the drawer shut. Then she pasted on a smile as she handed back the change. "Have a nice day!"

Sango decided to venture into the unknown and try finding out what was bothering her friend. "Kagome, are you alright today?"

"Of course I'm alright!" Slam. "Why do you ask?" Shove.

"Well, you seem a little…" she paused, trying to find the right wording without upsetting her further.

"On edge?" Inuyasha supplied.

Kagome turned to him on the verge of tears. "Shut up!" she yelled, and then ran out the front door.

"Touchy, touchy," Inuyasha muttered while he went back to stocking cups. He looked up to see everyone staring at him. "What?" he asked defensively. "You're looking at me like it's _my _job to go after her!"

Silence.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and stormed out after her.

She was sitting against the brick on the side of the building, knees drawn up against her chest, head in her hands. What was she doing? It was freezing out here! When she looked up to see who was coming, he could tell that she'd been crying.

He'd never seen her cry before. It really unsettled him. If even sweet, innocent, cheerful Kagome could be reduced to tears like this, than what kind of mess would the rest of us be in? He walked over and, literally, dropped his coat on her head.

"Thanks," she said weakly, emerging from underneath it, and pulling it around herself.

He sat down next to her, Indian-style. "So what's with the water works?" he asked gruffly.

She sniffed. "It's my grandpa." She paused for a minute. "My mom had to buy the cheap furnace and it broke yesterday while everyone was out of the house but him. He's in the hospital right now for smoke inhalation." She looked about ready to dissolve into tears again. "What if- What if he doesn't make it? What if-" and she started to cry again.

With a start Inuyasha realized that he'd never even met _his_ grandparents before. A little awkwardly he draped his arm around her shoulders in a buddy-buddy kind of way. "He'll be fine Kagome. You worry too much. Hey! Stop crying! Look, I'll even drive you over to visit him later."

She turned towards him and hugged him back, which made their position a_ lot_ friendlier. Inuyasha looked terrified. "Hey! What are you doing?"

She ignored him and smiled into his shirt. He always made her feel _so_ much better.

Meanwhile Miroku and Sango had been watching from the window.

"Aren't they adorable?" Sango sighed happily.

"Mmm," Miroku agreed. "Their chemistry is quite remarkable. I wonder how much longer until things get _really_ interesting?" he asked suggestively.

Sango pushed him over backwards. "I just can't believe you sometimes," she said while rolling her eyes.

It turned out that Grandpa was going to make a full recovery. Some of Kagome's close friends had even come to visit her.

"Yuka, I'd really love to go to the movies with you, but I've got work!"

"Kagome!" Yuka cried in exasperation. "You're always at work! Can't you come out with us and have some fun?" she pleaded.

They obviously didn't realize how much fun she did have at work. "I can't. Really. Inuyasha won't-" Inuyasha not let her do something? She snorted. She would let that happen the day pigs flew! A smug expression covered her features. "Fine Yuka, I guess I'll go with you."

"Oh, you're not going with me," Yuka said matter-of-factly.

"Huh?" That threw her for a loop. All that convincing and now she didn't want to?

"I'm going with Eri," Yuka clarified. "You're going with Hojo!" Little stars appeared in her eyes as she said it.

"Who's Hojo? What's going on?"

Yuka smiled. Kagome was just a little slow sometimes. "It's a blind date! Isn't it romantic?" she asked, hands clasped under her chin.

Kagome wasn't sure if her face had gone deathly white, or beet red. "Wh-what? That's not fair!"

"Oh don't worry," she whispered conspiratorially. "I checked him out for you! He's really cute!"

"But I can't!" she stammered.

"Why not?" She gasped suddenly. "Kagome! You don't have a boyfriend you didn't tell me about, do you?" she asked in a hurt voice.

"No, no, of course not…"

"Then why can't you?" She was all business again.

"I-" There was no _real_ reason that she couldn't. Well, except that she didn't want to, but Yuka was obviously not going to find that acceptable. She heaved a long suffering sigh. "Fine," she grumbled.

Yuka did a little victory dance. "Yay!"

"Miroku?" Inuyasha asked dangerously.

"Yes Inuyasha?" Miroku replied calmly.

"Where's Kagome?" he continued in that same low voice.

"Why, she said that she wouldn't be able to make it in today."

Finally he exploded. "Why not?!?!"

"She didn't say."

"She's skipping! I know she is! She can't do that! She should be fired! In fact, I'm going to drag her sorry ass back here!" he shouted.

Miroku stopped counting out bills in favor of having some fun with Inuyasha's head. "You know, you're only going after her because you want her to come back here."

Inuyasha looked a little lost. "That's the point…"

"Yes, but you only want her back here because you _like_ spending time with her."

"That's not true!"

"Do you ever drag 'my sorry ass' back here when I skip?" He smiled mischievously. "Which leads me to believe that you _like_ her." An eerie silence followed his words.

Then all hell broke loose.

Kagome had just met Hojo, and if truth be told, he was very cute, and polite besides. He was tall with brown eyes and sandy brown colored hair, and he was studying to become a physician. He'd taken her to her favorite luncheon restaurant, offered to pay for her meal, and even held out her chair for her to sit on. Yuka was right; this guy was the ideal date.

So why wasn't she enjoying herself?

"I plan on going to the local university. You know, my father, my grandfather, and his father before him were all doctors too. Isn't that coincidental?" He smiled at her.

"Ouch!"

Sango watched from behind the bar with a startled expression on her face. Inuyasha was beating on Miroku. Did this happen a lot?

"Ow! Stop it Inuyasha!"

"Why should I?" he asked flippantly throwing another punch.

Suddenly Inuyasha found himself flipped and in the position Miroku had been in a few seconds ago. "Because I'll do this," and Miroku's fist would have ended up in Inuyasha's face had he not blocked it. "And by the way," he smirked. "You do like her."

"Do not!"

"Do so."

He blocked another hit. "Do not!"

"Do so."

"Do not!" Miroku was so damn annoying! He was always making himself out to be the good guy, even when what he was doing was as far from good as possible. Since when was asking him to put the moves on his best friend a good thing?

Inuyasha stopped dead for a moment and one of Miroku's punched landed. But that didn't affect him as near as much as the jolt of emotion that went through him right then. He wasn't even sure what it was. Fear? Hope? Disappointment? Happiness? All he knew was that he'd just referred to Kagome as his best friend. He'd never _ever_ had a best friend before. He wondered if all best friends were quite so annoying, quite so cheerful, quite so giving, quite as pretty as Kagome was, or if she was just special.

Dammit! He felt like banging his head against the wall. Now he was calling her _pretty_! What had gotten into him? Well, he supposed she was, but that just wasn't the point!

Miroku had stopped rough housing it when he noticed the dazed look in Inuyasha's eyes. He stood up and dusted off his clothes, and Sango came over to stand next to him. "Are you sure you didn't give him a concussion?" she asked.

"Sure looks like it…" he replied.

Suddenly Inuyasha remember where he was and jumped up. "I have to go," he said distractedly, and left The Club without even grabbing his jacket.

Sango and Miroku shared a look. "What the hell was that about?"

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This is so much fun to write!

Inuyasha and Miroku getting into a fist fight might be a little weird, I know....

If you have a cute idea I'd be glad to try and incorporate it into the story! Just review!


	15. Pasta Dinner

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Fourteen

An hour later and Hojo was still droning on about medical school.

"Hojo!" she interrupted him.

He looked a little surprised, but smiled at her pleasantly. "Yes Kagome?"

"Let's play a game!"

"A… game?" he asked puzzled.

"Yeah! Like, how about tic-tac-toe?"

"Okay…" He took out a pen and neatly drew the board on a napkin. "You can go first," he told her.

She sighed. Inuyasha had always demanded to go first. Then they would fight over it, and end up settling it by playing another game like rock-paper-scissors. Sure it was immature, but it was so much fun!

Hojo put o's on the board like he was supposed to, but Kagome couldn't help but be disappointed. Inuyasha had always used whatever symbol he damn well felt like, whether it was an 'I' for his name, or even something as crazy as smiley faces.

With a start Kagome realized that Hojo had _let_ her win. Her mother had _let_ her win when she was _five_! What did he think? That she couldn't win on her own?! Even if he didn't think that, what was he thinking? Inuyasha would never ever in a million years have _let_ her, or anyone else for that matter, win. And if he lost, which wasn't nearly as often as Kagome would've liked to see, he'd pout until he got a rematch.

With tears nearly coming to her eyes, she realized that it wasn't the things themselves that were fun, it was Inuyasha who made them that way. She missed him…

And why on Earth was she thinking of another guy while on a date?!

"Kagome?"

"Huh?" she looked up, still distracted by her thoughts.

"I said, are you still upset about your grandfather?"

Grandpa had been up and about for days now. He was perfectly fine. "Of course-" She'd been about to say 'of course not', but then realized that this was her chance out. "Of course I am. I'm really sorry, but I'll see you Hojo. Bye!" she called, already on her way out the door.

A waitress, having witnessed the scene Kagome made, came over to the forlorn looking Hojo with a lemonade. "Here sweetie. Extra sugary. On the house."

"No, you don't understand, it's her grandfather," he explained.

"I'm sure it is honey," the waitress said with a pitying look.

Inuyasha was aimlessly walking along the old beaten sidewalks of his town. He didn't know where he was going, and he was only vaguely aware that it was cold out.

He was irritated.

He was angry that Miroku had been able to read him like that. Hell, Miroku had known that he liked her before he did! That was just wrong on a million different levels! And even more upsetting was the fact that he _did_ like her. He wasn't supposed to like her! She was just another annoying girl who had no idea what his life was like. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that she did know a lot of it. And the more he thought about that, the more he realized that he didn't really mind all that much.

No! This wasn't supposed to happen to him! He was supposed to be the teenage loner! The misunderstood musician!

It was at this point in his thoughts that he rounded a corner, and not paying a whole lot of attention, literally bumped into someone running in the opposite direction. "Kagome?!"

"Inuyasha?! What are you doing here?"

"I-" Wait, he was mad at her! All the irritation came flooding back. "I'm coming to drag you back to work!"

"How'd you know I was here?" she asked suspiciously.

"I, um," he floundered. Dammit! She had him there.

"See?" she pointed out. "You're skipping too!" she smiled, but it faltered when she saw him shiver. She had her jacket on and was still freezing! "Aren't you cold?"

"Of course not," he scoffed.

She rolled her eyes, but remembered that this part of him was what made him so much fun to be around. "Oh, I'm sure," she replied sarcastically.

"Feh."

"Hey, do you want to come back to my house for dinner? It's on the way." She stopped suddenly, as thoughts of food entered her brain. "Do you even know how to cook?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Not all that much. Why?"

"Inuyasha!" she yelled as if it were the biggest scandal ever. "What do you live off of? Ramen noodles?" she asked sarcastically, but upon seeing his face quickly said, "Wait. Don't answer that."

He laughed at her. "It's not so bad. They're my favorite food."

"Don't you miss having hot meals cooked for you when you get home? Jesus Inuyasha, you're only in high school."

Yet again he was reminded that Kagome knew the single biggest secret in his life. "I thought I told you I didn't want you feeling sorry for me!" he said darkly.

Immediately Kagome noticed the deep orangey color his eyes were turning to and knew that she was treading on thin ice. Well, she couldn't let it bother her too much. Why not deal with it like he would? She crossed her arms and stuck up her nose. "I'm not feeling sorry for you. I'm helping you. End of story." She stomped off ahead of him. "And you're coming to my house for dinner tonight."

"Hey!" he yelled after her. "You can't order me around like that!"

"I wasn't ordering you around."

"You were to!"

"I was not!"

"Were to!"

"Was not!"

"Were to!"

"Was not!"

"Were to!"

"Oh, here's my house!" And she skipped happily up the porch steps.

"Were- wait, what?" he broke off confused.

"My house. This is it." She smiled. How could she be yelling at him one second, and then be all bubbly the next?! It was so weird!

He trailed after Kagome into her small cozy house cautiously. They ran into a middle aged woman, and surprised registered on her face, before settling into a motherly smile. "Hello Inuyasha dear."

"How do you know me?"

"I'm guessing that there aren't many teenage boys Kagome knows with hair that long. Tell me, do you condition it?"

"MOM!" Kagome shrieked.

"What's all the ruckus?" an old raspy voice asked as Grandpa walked into the entrance room. "Who are you?" he asked.

Souta appeared by his side. "That's Kagome's boyfriend."

"Souta! He's not my boyfriend!"

"Sure he isn't," he said in that teasing way that only little brothers can manage. "I think he's cool. How long did it take for you to grow your hair so long?" he asked amazed.

"Nice to meet you my boy!" Grandpa declared, holding out his hand.

Inuyasha took it, and thought, so this is what a grandparent feels like…

Ten minutes later, Kagome managed to get her mother and Inuyasha into the kitchen without any distractions. "Mom, do you think you could teach Inuyasha how to make a few quick hot meals?"

She looked at the two teenagers suspiciously. "Why?"

"Um, because," Kagome wasn't sure what to say.

"It's for a home ec. class," Inuyasha lied. It was easier that way.

However, Mrs. Higurashi didn't seem convinced. It struck her as odd that the bad boy from The Club with the long black hair would be taking a home economics class. But she'd go along with it. At least for now… She smiled. "Do you like pasta Inuyasha?"

Kagome could literally see his eyes light up at the thought of real food. "Sure," he readily supplied.

"Then you can make our dinner tonight. Spaghetti, ravioli, or goulash?" she asked.

He'd never even _heard_ of goulash before… "Umm, spaghetti sounds okay."

"Great!"

Half an hour later the whole Higurashi clan, plus Inuyasha, were seated around the big kitchen table.

Inuyasha was new to this kind of atmosphere. It was noisy, but extremely comfortable. Kagome's family was just like Kagome herself. They traded smiles over the big platters of food, and asked how each others day went. But it wasn't the fake I'm-only-asking-you-this-because-I-have-to type that he'd cynically been expecting. It was a plain and honest type. The smell of good food hung in the air, and he could hear the clanking of dishes and chitchat, and over all, it was rather pleasant.

Kagome turned to the seat on her right where Inuyasha sat. "You've been awfully quiet. Is everything okay?"

"The boy can probably feel the souls of the dead who lived in this household before us. Why, did you know that hundreds of years ago this property was used for-" Grandpa's voice faded into the background noise as Kagome leaned over and whispered behind her hand. "This could take a while…"

He gave her a small smile in return.

"You're last lesson today Inuyasha, is that every cook must clean up his mess."

"Dishes?" he asked, dread passing over his face.

Kagome's mother nodded happily. She wouldn't have to do them for once in her life!

"Don't look so upset," Kagome interjected. "I can help you with them."

So it was later, when Inuyasha was washing and Kagome drying that she asked the question she'd had on her mind all night. "Inuyasha, are your grandparents… not alive, or have you just not met them?" she asked quietly.

"I don't see what difference it makes," he grumbled. "Why do you care anyways?"

"I think… I think we could find them. You could talk to them." Seeing the incredulous look on his face she hurried on. "I mean, we don't have to or anything, I just thought that maybe you'd like to and-"

"How could you even find them?" he asked suddenly, an odd look on his face.

She smiled. He was going to let her help him! "I know this guy who can get us their medical records. Birth certificates and stuff. His name's Hojo…"

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Dun dun dun! Will Inuyasha actually meet Hojo? Will Kagome risk putting them in the same room together? See next time, on The Club!

Oh, and don't forget to review!


	16. Meet The Grandparents

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Fifteen

"Father's name?"

"Taisho."

"Mother's name?"

"Aikyo."

"Mother's maiden name?"

"I dunno."

Hojo's cheery smile faltered a bit. He was loosing patience with this Inuyasha character. How was he supposed to work with this? He was a genius with his father's medical records, but not a miracle worker! "Hmm. Maybe I can find it."

Inuyasha watched the guy named Hojo type and click around on the hospital's computer. He was so happy that it was scary! The guy was such a dweeb! Why was he even letting him root through all his personal information like this?

"Found it!" Hojo said with a big smile. "Okay. On your father's side, Tatsuyo and Miho are listed as… deceased."

Inuyasha's expression didn't change in the slightest. But if you looked close enough, you could see his jaw muscles tightening. It showed Kagome how tense he really was.

"On your mother's side, Kaumen and Kira are… alive. Here are their full names, I'm sure you can find them in a phone book or something."

Kagome jumped out of her seat and scribbled down the names off the computer screen. "Thank you so much Hojo! I don't know how to thank you enough!"

"Maybe a rain check on that date you couldn't stay for?" he asked hopefully.

The room went dead silent. The sound of the computer whirring in the background was the only audible noise. Finally Kagome laughed nervously. "Maybe Hojo. I'll call you! Bye!" And she pulled Inuyasha from the room, not daring to look at him.

Then, completely to her shock, he started laughing. "You," he said, gasping for breath, "dated that _loser_?"

"Hey!" she replied defensively. "It was a blind date! And Hojo's not a loser! He's just… a little… dull."

This made him start laughing all over again as they left the hospital. It was a beautiful day out.

She elbowed him. "It's not funny!"

"Yeah, yeah it is," he said while wiping tears out of his eyes.

It was so strange, and pleasant, to see Inuyasha laugh. Of all people to bring this reaction out in him, she hadn't thought in a million years that it would be Hojo! But she was glad that he did. Just for good measure, she playfully shoved him off the sidewalk a little bit before smiling widely herself.

But he shoved her right back. Before long they were practically wrestling each other as they walked down the street, laughing. "No fair!" she shrieked. "You can't tickle me!" But he did anyways, and that just made her laugh harder.

A car pulled up alongside them, and Miroku's grinning face popped out of the window. "If you two are quite done flirting I'd be glad to drive you home," he declared happily.

Their arms dropped to their sides. "Miroku!" they shouted.

Inuyasha stood on the sidewalk, staring up at the cozy looking house in front of him. It was two stories high with yellow siding and white trim. It wasn't very big. This was his grandparent's home.

It had taken over an hour to drive here. Now that he was actually here though, standing in front of it, he wished he were still driving. His throat felt really dry. He would never say that he was afraid of _anything_, much less a couple of old people, but he was, just a little. What if they wanted nothing to do with him? There must have been a reason, after all, that he'd never met them. It would be another set of people to have rejected him. He wasn't sure if he could handle that again.

Well, he was already here, and he hadn't driven all that way for nothing. He took a deep breath and plastered his 'tough guy' look on his face. He was just about to walk forward too, when he felt Kagome slip her hand into his.

At first he was too shocked to do anything, but then he saw her smile. It was a small smile, an encouraging smile. Just like that night he'd imagined it when playing his guitar. He closed his hand firmly around hers and walked up to the door to ring the bell.

The door opened to reveal an old woman with short curly hair. It had been dyed back to its original dark color, but you could tell her age from the laughter wrinkles around her eyes, and her shrunken height.

"Can I help you?" she asked, seemingly confused at seeing two teenagers on her front porch.

"Who's there Kira?" her husband called from inside the house. He appeared next to her side. The man was much taller than his wife. He had a deep voice, wore extremely thick glasses, and had short-cut straight white hair. "Hmm," he mused. "You look familiar." He squinted through his thick glasses, trying to see the boy better.

"Hi," Inuyasha nodded his head the slightest bit. It might have made sense to try and beat around the bush in this kind of situation, but Inuyasha really didn't know how to or care to. "I'm… I'm your grandson."

They didn't reply. Inuyasha felt Kagome squeeze his hand the smallest bit tighter. The old woman's jaw had fallen slightly open, and the old man was still squinting at him. Damn eyesight!

Ever so slowly his grandmother reached over and touched his cheek. "Inuyasha?" she whispered. He nodded his head yes. And then her face broke out into a wide smile. "Come in dear, come in! I just made some brownies!"

Once they were all seated around the kitchen table, warm brownies in hand, his grandmother began to talk again. "Who's your lovely girlfriend?" she asked.

He nearly choked on his brownie as Kagome went beet red. "She's not-"

"I'm not-"

"I mean, no, she really isn't-"

"His girlfriend."

"My girlfriend. Right. What she said."

"She?!" his grandfather exclaimed. He was squinting furiously again. "I thought you were a boy!"

This made Kagome even redder. Inuyasha just smirked at her.

"You're embarrassing her!" she hissed at her husband. She turned back to them with a smile. "Excuse him, it's his eyes."

"Oh," Kagome stammered.

"So Inuyasha, how old are you now?"

But before Inuyasha could answer, his grandfather did. "Just turned eighteen." They all turned to him, surprised.

"How in the name of all that's holy did you know that?" Kira asked him.

He stuck his nose up in the air. So _that's_ where Inuyasha gets it from! Kagome thought. "Just because I can't see anymore doesn't mean I'm going senile," he said haughtily. "It's simple math."

She rolled her eyes. "Here, have another brownie," and she shoved it into his mouth before turning back to the teens. "And how old are you… um…?"

"Kagome. Kagome Higurashi."

"That's a beautiful name."

"Thank you! I'm almost seventeen. My birthday is in a couple weeks."

"Really?" Inuyasha asked, genuine interest on his face.

"Yep!" she declared happily. "I can't wait!"

"Well happy birthday dear." She turned back to her newfound grandson. "Oh Inuyasha. You've got your mother's face you know. Your father's coloring, but your mother's face," she said sadly. Her husband wrapped an arm around her. "It's just not right!" she said. "You shouldn't have to grow up without her! Without either of them!" She leaned into him. "I miss her so much sometimes. And you, her _son_, barely even got to know her! I'm so sorry Inuyasha. So sorry."

Inuyasha brushed past that with a shake of his head. "How come, how come I didn't know you two back then?"

This time his grandfather did the talking. "We used to visit, back when you were too young to remember. Then we went abroad for a while, and by the time we'd gotten word of Aikyo having… passed away, you'd already been sent to live with, oh what's-his-face?"

"Myoga," Inuyasha supplied.

He snapped his fingers. "That's the one."

"Do you have school tomorrow?" Kira asked suddenly.

"Yes."

"It's getting late then. Here, I'll wrap up some brownies for you."

"Look here boy," his grandfather said. "If you ever need us, well, I guess you know where to find us." He shook Inuyasha's hand warmly. There was so much that could be said in a simple handshake.

Kira handed Inuyasha the brownies. "Now, I expect to hear from you around the holidays. Understood?" she told him with a motherly smile, just managing to blink back tears. She reached out, and hesitantly, he hugged her goodbye.

Kagome marveled at the way hardships could bring people together. Aikyo must have been a wonderful person.

As they left, his grandparents waved from the doorway. "Goodbye! Take good care of him Kagome dear!" she called.

Kagome gave Inuyasha a very Inuyasha-like smirk before waving back. "Don't worry! I will!"

-----------------------------------

Inuyasha's such a hard character to write. He's got the strangest blend of jaded meanness and hopeful kindness that I've ever seen. You'd think they'd balance out and he'd be average, but he's not! And I feel like I'm either making him too soft or too hard.

Inuyasha and Kagome are both juniors, but Inuyasha's a year older. I forgot if I mentioned it in an earlier chapter or not, but he was held back the year his mother died. Sango is a senior and the same age as Inuyasha, and Miroku's in college. In case you forgot.

Review!


	17. Demon 1883

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Sixteen

Miroku walked into The Club looking rather proud of himself. "Look what I got us!" he said, holding up some paper, which unrolled itself as he did so. It was a colorful pamphlet advertising an exclusive tour of the downtown radio station: Demon 188.3. "This Saturday, not only are we going to meet some bands, but we're also going to be on the radio advertising for The Club!"

"Miroku," Sango pointed out. "If we're going to be there, who's going to be working here?"

"Yeah moron," Inuyasha added.

Miroku grinned. "Oh I know a million gir-" he cut off at Sango's almost-growl, but continued with twice his usual charm. "A million old _friends_ who would fill in for us."

"Great!" Kagome said.

"I'm in," Inuyasha agreed, trading high fives with Miroku. He then grabbed the flyer and the phone from under the bar top to inform their boss of this new venture. "Hey Sesshomaru?"

Miroku looked at Inuyasha, who for once in his life didn't seem pissed at having to call his brother. Then he turned to Kagome. "You're healing him you know."

She tilted her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"Look at him Kagome. Really look. I haven't seen him this relaxed in a long time. I'm not sure I've ever seem him this laid back."

"You really think?" she asked doubtfully.

"Definitely."

She smiled warmly. He's been through so much, she thought. I'm just glad I could help.

Inuyasha was sitting in the driver's seat of Miroku's car. Miroku let out a long-suffering sigh.

"Inuyasha, _I'm_ driving."

"No, I'm driving!"

"It's _my_ car! I'm driving!"

"Feh! Whatever!" But he moved over to the passenger's seat.

"If you want to drive so much, save up and buy your own car," he told Inuyasha sagely. "You certainly work here enough." A confused look passed over his face. "What do you do with all the money you earn here anyways?"

Well, what he actually did with it was give it to Sesshomaru for his living expenses, but he couldn't say that. Miroku was already getting suspicious. He had that glint in his eye…

"Hey look!" Kagome exclaimed from the backseat. "It's a clown!"

Miroku slowly turned to look from where she was pointing, to back at her. "Where?"

She snapped her fingers. "Darn! You just missed him!"

"Right," he replied slowly.

"Yup," she nodded her head while laughing nervously.

Miroku looked over to Sango who just shrugged her shoulders and gave him a you've-got-me-if-I-know type of look. He continued to watch Kagome and Inuyasha as he drove downtown, the wheels in his mind turning.

Kagome had obviously spoken up as a distraction from his question to Inuyasha. The thing was, why did she do it? What did she know that he didn't? What could Inuyasha be doing with his money that needed covering up?

They walked up the steps to the radio station in happy anticipation. It was four stories high, and had Demon 188.3 in big black letters across the top of the building.

Inside the receptionist sitting behind a very large desk jumped up when she saw them. "Oh! You must be from that club!" She was tall, with long wavy orange hair that was pulled away from her face. "I'm Ayame," she introduced herself and shook hands with all four of them.

"Hi I'm Kagome," she smiled.

"I'm Sango," she greeted.

"Inuyasha," he grunted.

"My fair lady-"

"Back OFF Miroku!" two angry females shouted. They then turned back to Ayame with sugary smiles. "You were saying?"

Ayame looked a bit confused… but she decided to play along. "Right, so I'll give you the tour then!" She motioned to a large door behind them. "That's the meeting room. For all the head honcho's and stuff. You know. The stairs are over here."

They all climbed the large staircase.

"The second and third stories are used for recording."

They walked down a long hallway with glass windows facing the recording rooms. Ayame explained who each group was as they passed. "That's Yura and the Demon Hair. Up and coming artist."

"…demon… hair?" Kagome asked.

"Name of her band."

"Oh."

Yura had short black hair, hot pink lipstick, and obviously fake boobs that Miroku was busy ogling. Sango could be heard grinding her teeth in the background. The Demon Hair band was composed of around six or seven other talented, but plain looking girls who were probably chosen to set Yura off by comparison. She winked at them through the window.

Ayame started coughing in a way that made it sound intriguingly like 'slut'.

The next window held three _extremely_ short, blondish-brown haired men who were standing in a cute triangle formation as they sang.

"These are the Three Monkey Gods!" Kagome exclaimed. "I never knew they were so short." When she realized that everyone was staring at her she backed up a step defensively. "What? My brother listens to them!"

"I'm sure he does," Ayame said in the tone of voice where you knew she really didn't. "The next one is a singer named Urasue," she continued.

They walked to Urasue's window and the first thought that came to all of their minds was: ewww! She looked about two hundred years old! Her grey hair was sticking out in every direction and her fire engine red lipstick was smeared all over her face.

"Why don't you ask _her_ out?" Sango suggested.

"I think I'll pass, beautiful," he replied.

She rolled her eyes. Sure! _Now_ she was being called beautiful again!

Inuyasha, always the blunt one, asked what they all wanted to know. "Why the hell is she still working here?!"

"Well, she was very popular, like, last century, and we can't get rid of her because of her contract. Damn lawyers!" she muttered.

They came to another staircase. "This last level is where we broadcast." The room was partitioned off inside so that it was kept quiet when on air. They could hear the last of the broadcast drifting over as they came in. "… and this is Kouga Wolf on Demon 188.3!"

The man who called himself Kouga took off his headphones when he saw them. He was tall, dark, and handsome. His long dark hair was pulled back into a high pony tail. "Hey Aya-" he cut off as he caught sight of Kagome. "And who's this gorgeous girl?" he asked with a roguish grin.

"Umm, hi! I'm Kagome!"

Ayame rolled her eyes and turned on her heel, wild red hair flowing behind her as she stormed back downstairs. Kouga seemed not to notice as he confidently strode over and took one of Kagome's hands in his own. "I'm Kouga. Kouga Wolf."

Inuyasha watched the proceedings with ill-disguised disgust. "What are you doing to her 'wolf'?!" he yelled.

"Jesus! What's with you, punk?!"

Miroku stepped in between the two, once again the calm one. "Now, now. There's no need to fight over lovely Kagome here. I'd gladly take her off both your hands for you!" he smiled pleasantly.

Inuyasha and Kouga turned to him with looks that would have scared the devil himself.

Sango inched up next to him. "Do you _want_ to die?" she whispered vehemently.

The door banged open as Ayame came back in, extra headphones in her arms. She took one look at the scene before her and started shaking her head. "I leave you alone for two minutes! Two! And you're already causing trouble!" She ushered Kouga back to his seat. He only half-heartedly protested. She shoved a pair of headphones on everyone's head, and pushed the others into chairs as well. She counted down with her fingers and flipped a switch that said ON AIR in big bright red letters.

Sango had found some respect for this woman. She sure wasn't someone to be pushed around!

"Yo! This is Kouga Wolf on Demon 188.3! We have some visitors here today…"

Meanwhile Ayame watched from the other side of the room. He was so adorable when he was trying to be cool!

"… won the tour here at our radio station!" He signaled for them to start talking.

"Hi, I'm Kagome," she said cheerfully.

"I'm Sango," she smiled.

"Inuyasha," he grunted.

"Miroku," he said charmingly.

"Where did you guys say you worked again?"

"The Club," Miroku answered. "It's a great place actually." Free advertising was sure to win him brownie points with Sesshomaru! "We've got food, a place to hang out, and best of all… a live band on the third Saturday of every month!"

"Sounds fun. Do you play in it Kagome?"

"No, I couldn't sing to save my life!" she giggled. "Inuyasha's got a great voice th-" she cut off immediately, but it was already too late. She hung her head a bit, point blank terrified of looking over at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha felt his stomach drop out from under him. He'd trusted her! And just because some cute wolf boy starts flirting with her she- What was he saying? He'd been waiting for this kind of chance, hadn't he? He was on the radio for god's sake! He was just a little nervous. Okay, a lot nervous.

Kouga, noticing the sudden tension in the air, smirked. "Care to sing something for us Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha sent him a death glare and moved closer to the microphone. He took a deep breath. His full voice filled the room in seconds.

Kagome un-squeezed her eyes and lifted her head back up. It was even better than she remembered! Maybe he wouldn't be too upset with her…

The room was silent for a full ten seconds after he'd finished. Inuyasha, coming back to reality, smirked. "And it's even better with my guitar!" he boasted.

Kagome smiled. He was the same old arrogant Inuyasha! He wasn't angry!

Kouga looked upset that his newfound rival was so talented. "Well I guess we'll send someone over to scout you next Saturday." He didn't really want to, but Ayame would kill him if he didn't offer it. Ayame's wrath was something he'd rather not face again if he could help it.

Kouga signed off of Demon 188.3 a few minutes later, and Ayame lead them back downstairs. The minute they got outside Kagome turned to Inuyasha excitedly. "Oh Inuyasha!" she gushed. "You did great! I'm so happy for you! I was kind of worried that-"

"That I wouldn't be able to pull it off?" Was it just her, or did he sound more scathing than usual?

"No, I just-"

"Said you wouldn't tell anyone?" he bit out.

With every second that passed, Kagome felt her heart sinking lower and lower into her stomach. "What?" she breathed.

"If you told him that, what else are you going to tell him about me Kagome?! _Who_ else are you going to tell?!" He was definitely shouting by now. "And just because he was flirting with you, too! I can't believe it!" he said bitterly.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded angrily. "He wasn't flirting with me!"

"He was so! And I can't imagine why, the way you were leading him on!"

"I was _not_ leading him on!"

"You were too!"

"I was not!"

"Were too!"

"Was not!"

"You were too Kagome! I'm a guy! I see things the way all guys frigging see things and you were so leading him on!" And without a glance backward he stormed off.

Kagome was sure her legs were going to give out under her any second now. If she had thought that just Inuyasha was a little bad sometimes, a pissed off Inuyasha was downright terrifying. He was really pissed off now, and what was worse, was knowing that it was all her fault.

He'd never trust her again.

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Not my favorite section… but I hope you guys liked it.

Don't worry! They don't stay mad at each other for _too_ long! And after they make up… well, I won't spoil it for you! But it's really cute!


	18. World War III

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Seventeen

Miroku had him trapped in the storage room, and he wasn't liking it one bit.

"You made her cry," Miroku stated.

Inuyasha's eye's flashed over to him as if trying to decide if he were telling the truth or not. Had he really made her cry?

"Cried herself to sleep in Sango's lap. Muttering something about you never trusting her again."

"I never trusted her to begin with!" he yelled.

Miroku's eyes turned soft. "Come on Inuyasha. You know me better than to think I'll believe that."

"What makes _her_ so special anyways?" he ground out.

"You're the one who knows the answer to that," he pointed out wisely. "And I suggest that you figure it out, and fast, because she'll be here soon, and I don't think you want to spend the rest of the night hiding in this closet," he pointed out with a shrug and returned to the bar.

Kagome sat in her room staring at the telephone. She couldn't go back there now! She just couldn't! Slowly she picked up the receiver and dialed The Club's number.

"Hello, Miroku?"

"Hey Kagome!"

"I… I can't make it in today…"

"I see." He was disappointed. She could tell. Even from over the phone she could tell.

"I'll call back in a few days, okay?"

"Of course," he replied.

"Bye," she said weakly, and hung up before he could answer her.

She threw herself onto her bed and cried into her pillows. When she was younger, she'd always thought that she'd never cry over a _guy_. It was a stupid reason to cry. But now, faced with the reality of Inuyasha maybe never speaking to her again… she just couldn't help it. It hurt too much not to.

How the hell at she gotten so close to one guy in such a short period of time anyways?!

Knocking on her bedroom door woke her up the next morning. "Come in," she called sleepily.

Mrs. Higurashi walked in and sat down on the edge of Kagome's bed. Looking down at her daughter's dejected form, she thought of how glad she was that she wasn't in her teenage years anymore. She held a big warm mug of hot chocolate out to her daughter. "Here."

Kagome gave her mom a puzzled look as she took the beverage.

"It's Inuyasha, isn't it?" she asked gently.

She felt her cheeks flush as she looked at her mother. How had she known?

"Whatever happened dear, I'm sure it'll be fine. Things have a habit of working out."

"It was my fault," Kagome admitted softly.

"Then fix it," Mrs. Higurashi said matter-of-factly. And then she was up, brushing her skirt off and out the door, leaving Kagome spluttering over her cocoa. "I'll be doing laundry if you need me!" she called.

It just wasn't fair that mother's could read their children like that!

Kagome walked down the hallway of the office building nervously. The receptionist had said it was down this way, second door on the left. She found the big oak door and knocked.

There was some shuffling around inside, and then a deep voice that she knew was Sesshomaru's called out. "Come in."

She stepped inside. Sitting in one of those giant swivel chairs was Sesshomaru, just as she remembered him. Well, almost as she remembered him. His usually impeccable hair was a little… disheveled. Sitting in a chair a few feet away was a secretary. She was a small woman, and she seemed to be… blushing?

Well, it didn't take a rocket scientist to guess what had been going on in here before she knocked!

If only Inuyasha knew! Classy, clean cut, better-than-everyone-else Sesshomaru having an illicit love affair with his personal secretary! It was priceless!

But thinking about Inuyasha was started to bring that familiar painful ache back. She cleared her throat. "Hello, I'm Kagome Higurashi. I work at your club."

"Oh yes, I remember. You're Inuyasha's girlfriend," he stated.

Instead of this making her upset as it had every other time that someone suggested that, now it just made her sad. She cast her eyes downward.

"I'd like you to meet my… _secretary_, Rin," he introduced them, putting extra emphasis on the word secretary, as if to make sure it wasn't confused with anything else.

She looked up. "Hello Rin."

Rin gave her a friendly smile. "Nice to meet you Kagome. Tell Inuyasha I said hello."

"About Inuyasha," she began, turning back to Sesshomaru.

"Has he gotten into trouble?" he asked her calmly. As if he were asking her if it was sunny outside.

"No! Of course not! I was just hoping that you'd give him the chance to perform on Saturday. Don't hire a band. You know."

"Why isn't he here to ask for this as well?"

She suddenly found the ground fascinating. "Actually, he doesn't know I'm here."

A slight pause, and then, "No."

Her head shot up. "No? What do you mean no?"

"Why should I say yes?" he asked logically.

"Because he's your _brother_!" she yelled. All the stress of the past few days came rushing back. "Because he could do better than anyone you could hire! Because he needs this chance to get him over that awful stage fright! Because I won't leave here until you agree to it!"

Ever so slowly, a smirk spread across Sesshomaru's face. "Fine. I agree. Maybe _you_ can knock some sense into my little brother."

Kagome smiled. She felt lighter than she had in days. "Thank you Sesshomaru."

He nodded. She turned to leave. "Next time," he called sternly after her, "call before you visit."

She glanced over at his secretary once more. "Of course," she said with a smile.

Inuyasha wiped the bar counter clean listlessly. Even the customers could tell that there was something wrong with him, and that just made him even more upset.

God! It had only been a few weeks ago that he'd sat here and laughed as Kagome polished this very countertop. It had only been a few days ago that she'd worried about his health. Had only been-

No! He shook his head as if to clear it. He shouldn't be thinking about her! He was supposed to be mad at her, damn it!

But he did miss her… How had he ended up like this? He was Inuyasha! He wasn't going to go all helpless and depressed because a _girl_ wasn't around! That was stupid! That was for weak pretty boys! Not him!

Miroku's voice jarred him from his thoughts. "If I knew that it was going to take you forever and a day to wipe that counter, I would have done it myself," he commented.

"Shove off!" he grumbled.

The bells rang as someone walked in. Inuyasha wasn't in the mood for customers, let Miroku deal with whoever it was. But when Miroku didn't start in on his so-called charming welcome-to-The-Club speech, Inuyasha got curious. He turned back around, and immediately wished he hadn't.

There stood Kagome, same as ever. She was nervously clutching her handbag and biting on her lip. "Can we talk?"

He raised his eyebrows. "I'm listening."

Slowly she walked over and sat on a barstool in front of him. "Inuyasha, I'm sorry."

"You should be!"

She cringed. Well, what had she been expecting? She pulled a slip of paper out of her bag and slid it across the counter to him.

He picked it up. It was a check from Sesshomaru for his services performing at The Club next Saturday.

Inuyasha stared at her incredulously. "What did you do?" he ground out.

"I know that you'd never go to Sesshomaru yourself," she began explaining quickly. "So I went for you, and-"

"Kagome!" he yelled. Okay, so he was a lot angrier than she'd expected. "You just keep making it worse! What's fucking wrong with you?"

She squeezed her eyes shut. "You can hate me if you want to Inuyasha! This is what you want! I won't let you let your talent go to waste! I won't! You deserve this!"

"How the hell would you know what I deserve?! Maybe I am the one who murdered Sango's family and you just don't know about it!"

She shook her head, fixing him with a deadly serious stare. "Don't you even _joke_ about stuff like that!"

"Were you joking about not telling?!" he countered.

"I didn't mean to! Besides, it's for your own good!"

"It is not!"

"It is too!"

"It is not!"

"It is too!"

Inuyasha's expression had gone awfully stony, while Kagome was having trouble blinking back tears.

"It is not!"

"It is too!"

Some of the customers had decided to get up and leave, not wanting to get caught in the middle of World War III.

Kagome was being so damned annoying! "Why don't you leave me the hell alone and mind your own business for a change?!"

"Maybe I will!" she shot back. And with that they turned their backs on each other and angrily crossed their arms over their chests, minds still reeling from what had been said.

A full minute passed. Finally Kagome's broken voice filled the air. "Inuyasha?" she whispered.

"What?" he grunted.

"I'm," she turned back to him. "I'm sick of fighting with you."

It is not… what? he thought. He couldn't even remember. How pathetic was that? The only thing that mattered right now was that it actually _hurt_ to see Kagome cry because of him. _Hurt_ to be upset with her. _Hurt_ to know that tomorrow she might not be there as his friend. He grabbed a box of tissues from under the bar and slid them over to her. "Here," he said gruffly.

"Thanks," she said softly, managing a weak smile for him. "Want to know a secret?" she asked mischievously.

He tilted his head curiously. Whatever he'd been expecting her to say, it sure wasn't that!

"Remember your brother's secretary?"

"Rin?"

"Her and Sesshomaru… were getting it on in his office when I went to see him!"

She giggled as his jaw dropped open. "Sesshomaru? With Rin? In his office?" A wide grin spread across his face. "That's so great! Do you realize how much I'll be able to get back at him with this?"

Miroku breathed a sigh of relief in the background. That had been a close one.

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Inuyasha and Kagome get into way too many of those back and forth arguments! But coming up soon… dare I say mistletoe?

Please review! Ideas are always welcome!


	19. Birthday Bash

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Eighteen

"Don't worry about that Sango, I'll clear it up."

"Thanks Kagome."

"No problem," she said as she began picking up empty coffee mugs. "Hey, you're graduating this year, right? Where do you plan on going to college?"

Sango seemed disheartened about the topic of conversation. "Local community college," she sighed. "It's not like I have anyone to pay for expensive tuition anymore…"

Kagome started. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry for bringing it up, I didn't realize-"

"It's okay Kagome, really. Don't worry about me so- oomph!" Kagome had her in a hug in three seconds flat. She was just _too_ caring sometimes.

"Guess what?" Kagome asked mischievously.

"Huh?"

"Miroku goes there," she mentioned slyly. Miroku and Sango acted like nothing was going on between them, well, except for Miroku's perverted comments, of course, but you could _so_ tell that they were crushing on each other.

Sango smiled, totally oblivious to the implication. "At least I'll have someone to show me around. But what about you, you're not graduating until next year, right?"

"Yeah, actually my birthday's on Sunday! I'll be seventeen!"

Inuyasha's head popped up from behind the bar where he'd been dozing. Oh yeah, he thought. She'd mentioned that her birthday was coming up.

"Any big plans?" Sango asked.

"I'm not sure yet," Kagome replied.

Things had been kind of weird between Kagome and himself since their first big fight. Her birthday though, that could be the perfect way to make things go back to _normal_ for Christ's sake! A party maybe? Besides, weren't girls supposed to like that kind of thing? He'd have to ask Miroku…

"Wow, it's getting late." Sango's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "I think I'll head home."

"I'll walk you! It's about time I visit Shippo anyways," she offered with a big smile.

"Thanks!" And the girls took off their black 'The Club' aprons, put on their jackets, and walked outside, chatting about what Inuyasha could only describe as Girl-Talk.

"You seem out of it tonight Inuyasha," Miroku observed after watching the girls leave from behind.

"Huh?" he replied, startled.

Miroku gave him a dry look. "See what I mean?"

Inuyasha just rolled his eyes. "Feh. Whatever. Look, Kagome just said that her seventeenth birthday was coming up and-"

Miroku cut him off. "She has to be _eighteen_ to be legal," he said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Inuyasha's jaw dropped open. "What the _hell_ are you talking about?"

Oh great, he'd pissed him off again. "That's not you meant?" he inquired innocently.

"NO!" he shouted.

"Oh…" and he shrugged his shoulders and went back to work.

"Hey! Come back here! I wanted to know what girls like for their birthday presents!"

Miroku turned back to him with a big grin on his face. This was almost as good!

"Well," he thought out loud. "Girls love clothes."

Inuyasha's face wrinkled up. "Clothes?"

"But you can't buy them any, because if they're not the perfect size you're screwed. Either it's too small and she'll complain about being fat, or it's too big and she'll complain about you thinking she's fat."

"Oh." This was all news to him.

"And girls love stuffed animals."

"Okay, I can do that."

"But it wouldn't be appropriate because you're not her boyfriend."

He just wanted to get her a god damn gift! Did it have to be so complicated?!

"Most of all…" he paused for dramatic effect, "they love jewelry. But that's too expensive for you."

"So what am I supposed to get her?!" he yelled frustrated.

"I don't know. Figure it out yourself."

Inuyasha could feel his eyebrow start to twitch. He was going to get back at Miroku one of these days! Anyways, maybe he should have just asked Sango?

So it was later that night, when he was up in his room, that he called her.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey, it's Inuyasha," he said gruffly.

"Inuyasha? Is everything okay?" she asked worried. Why else would he be calling her? And this late at night too!

"Feh! Of course everything's alright." That was so like a girl to get all worried over nothing!

"Oh good! So what's up then?"

He paused for a little bit. "You know its Kagome's birthday soon, right?"

"Yeah, I do." She could feel herself start to smile. Was he going to do something sweet for Kagome?

"I don't have any freaking idea what to get her," he stated bluntly.

She thought for a moment. "I can't really tell you. It has to come from the heart. Besides, you've known her longer than I have."

What the hell? That was so cliché! "Oh," he said flatly.

"But if all else fails," she reminded him brightly, "you can always get her a gift certificate."

"A gift certificate, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks Sango."

"Anytime, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha rooted through the back of his closet Sunday morning with a scowl on his face. He'd been all ready to buy that gift certificate. He'd been standing in line at the mall, money out to pay for it, and everything.

And then he'd gotten this feeling. This damn feeling that said he could do better for her. Why was she so important anyways?

He sighed. That was a stupid question. He knew she was important to him. But that didn't mean he had to like it!

He found the small box he'd been looking for and pulled it out. All the bad feeling that had gathered all morning just evaporated as he saw what was inside. It had been so ling since he'd seen this! Nostalgia clouded his mind for a moment, before he pushed all the memories away. They were a lifetime ago.

It would look good on her.

Kagome bounced up to her room happily. Today was her birthday! Her family had taken her to her favorite restaurant, and she'd gotten just what she'd asked for. Including that cute new skirt at the mall she'd been eyeing. Sure Grandpa had also gotten her the ground up powder of a demons paw to ward off bad spirits… but it was the thought that counted, right?

The telephone rang. She answered it cheerfully. Could today possibly get any better? "Hello?"

"Hey Kagome," Inuyasha's voice came across the line.

"Hi!" Would he remember what today was? "What's up?"

"Could you come down to The Club?"

"But it's not open on Sun-"

"Right away."

"Is everything okay?"

"Just do it already!"

"But-" He'd hung up on her! She couldn't believe it! Was something so wrong with him that he needed her to come into work on her _birthday_! The big jerk! He was probably dragging her down there for nothing! She heaved a sigh and went downstairs for her bike.

She hurried into The Club. It wasn't like Inuyasha to be so… random! She opened the door, flipped on the lights, and-

"SURPRISE!"

She jumped back a few steps, startled, but then a huge smile broke out on her face. They'd thrown her a surprise party! She had been wrong earlier, today had just gotten a whole lot better!

Sango walked over and hugged her. "Happy seventeenth!"

"Thanks," she said as she hugged her back.

"Happy Birthday Kagome!"

"Thanks Miroku!"

He faked being hurt. "Don't I get a hug?"

"Stop harassing her!" Sango hissed.

Kagome laughed. They were so cute together!

Shippo ran up to her. "I thought you'd never get here Kagome! Happy happy happy birthday!"

He was so adorable! "Thank you much Shippo!"

He smiled proudly.

She looked around. "Where's Inuyasha?"

"Right here," he called. He was trying to come out of the storage room while balancing a cake with seventeen burning candles on it.

"Aw, you baked me a cake?"

"Yeah right," he snorted. " I… convinced… Sesshomaru to send it over."

"You mean black-mailed," she teased.

"Guess you could call it that," he said with a rare smile.

He set the cake down on the nearest table and started singing Happy Birthday to her. Soon everyone had joined in, and Shippo kept throwing cha-cha-chas into the song.

She blew out all the candles.

"What did you wish for Kagome?" Shippo asked curiously.

"If I told you it wouldn't come true," she explained.

"Oh. Okay. Here's my present."

She took it from his carefully outstretched hands. It was a small picture book, drawn by Shippo himself, about a cat named Kagome and a fox named Shippo that became best friends. She'd never seen anything half so adorable in her life! "Thank you Shippo! I'll keep it forever!"

Sango handed her a big basket with a card attached to the top. It read:

What every girl needs! Happy Birthday! With love from Sango

The basket turned out to be full of bath salts, soaps, and lotion.

"Thanks so much!"

Sango smiled. "Your welcome!"

Miroku dramatically handed over a small wrapped gift. It was a CD of one of her favorite bands. His card read:

I know how much you love this band so, Happy Birthday! Miroku P.S. If you ever change your mind, I'm still willing!

She looked up to see him smirking lecherously at her. She rolled her eyes at him. "Somehow I doubt that's going to happen, but thanks anyways Miroku."

"No problem Kagome."

She looked at them happily. "I had no idea you guys were going to do this for me! I don't know how to thank you enough!"

"Don't thank me," Sango said. "I would never have thought of this myself."

She turned to Miroku instead. He shook his head. "I only wish I could claim the credit," he said.

She then turned to see Inuyasha looking at her with a lopsided smile on his face.

"Inuyasha planned the whole thing!" Shippo piped up.

"Really?" she breathed. She felt such a wave of emotion pass through her then, that she was blinking back tears. He hadn't forgotten! And he'd thrown her a party on top of that! She didn't know why it was making her cry, but it was. The excitement and happiness of the whole day was catching up to her.

And seeing him look at her like that was sending funny feelings through her whole body.

"Yeah," he replied in a low voice. He pulled a small box out from his pocket. No ribbons, no bow. Just a box. "Happy Birthday Kagome."

Slowly, she lifted the lid off. Her eyes widened at what was inside. It was a simple silver chain with a small diamond teardrop on it. It was gorgeous.

"It's not worth all that much you know," he said quietly. "It was my mother's, and I'm not going to be wearing it or anything, so…"

When she looked back up at him, he could see that her eyes were brimming with tears. Feh! She was too emotional. But the next thing he knew, she had thrown her arms around his neck, and was whispering "Thank you!" into his shoulder. Her breath was really warm against his neck… He looked shocked at first, but then ever so slowly his arms circled her waist and hugged her back.

She was blushing when she let go. "Well," she said to her friends who were trying hard not to stare, and failing miserably. "Let's have some cake!"

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Was it too long? Was it too sappy?

Review!

And I know I got you guys excited about the mistletoe, but that's probably not for a couple of chapters.

Review!

Can I say it again?

Review!


	20. First Kisses

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Nineteen

Kagome bounced into work looking even more ridiculously chipper than usual.

"What are you so happy about?" Inuyasha grumbled. It was so not fair that she was a morning person.

A wide grin broke out on her face. "It's less than two weeks until Christmas Vacation!"

That startled him awake. Christmas? Already? But instead of the thought provoking a smile, as it would in most people, it brought a scowl to his face.

Kagome was already busy rooting through a giant yellow back pack she'd brought, and missed his reaction. She began throwing huge, sparkling, cardboard snowflakes over her shoulder, looking for some string to tie them to the ceiling with.

"Christmas decorations?" Miroku asked.

"Yeah! Isn't it exciting?" she exclaimed.

Christmas was possibly Kagome's most favorite holiday all year long, and Inuyasha's least favorite holiday. While everyone else was home, getting and giving presents, and spending time with their families, he was stuck here, in an empty apartment, without even school to take his mind off things. And it made him beyond bitter and cranky for the whole holiday vacation. No wonder such a big percentage of suicide deaths occured around major holidays!

"You can't hang those up here!" Inuyasha commanded with a scowl still present on his features. The last thing he needed was a constant reminder of his holiday season depression hanging from the ceiling!

She looked up from her sorting, bewildered. "Why not?" she asked.

"Just because!"

She raised an eyebrow. He guessed she wasn't about to buy that kind of excuse. Desperately he searched for a reason. "Because… because Miroku's Buddhist!" he threw at her triumphantly.

She turned to Miroku, surprised. "Are you really?"

He laughed. "Actually I am. But I don't mind the decorations at all. Besides, they're good for publicity."

Inuyasha seemed to deflate with every word that Miroku spoke.

The bells over the door chimed as Sango walked in.

"Hey Sango!" Kagome greeted her. "Want to help me with these Christmas decorations?"

Sango felt her throat suddenly close up, and a look passed over her face that Inuyasha immediately identified with. Last Christmas, she thought, her dad had bought her a car. The car was gone now, and so was he. A wave of self-pity threatened to crash down around her.

No! She wouldn't let herself sink that low again! She took a deep breath to steady herself. "I'd love to Kagome, but I can't reach that high either. Have Inuyasha help you."

"Feh, whatever." But later on, as he stood on a step ladder attaching the obnoxious snow flakes to the ceiling, he watched Kagome as she handed them up to him. She looked close to bubbling over with excitement. She was gushing about what she was going to buy for everyone, and how much fun this year would be, and so on and so forth, and unexpectedly he felt a little of that 'Oh Humbug!' bad feeling leave him.

Maybe this Christmas wouldn't be _quite_ so bad.

It was late afternoon and Inuyasha was getting bored. Really bored. Kagome was still going crazy with tinsel that she was hanging _everywhere_! He was so sick of tinsel; he never wanted to see another piece of it in his entire life!

He sighed. What to do… What to do… There were currently no customers to serve, Kagome wouldn't stop decorating, Sango only worked weekends, and Miroku had some college event that night.

Suddenly he grinned, and his eyes lit up as he thought of something. You could almost see the light bulb turn on over his head. He took the phone from under the bar top and set it on the counter in front of him. Picking up the receiver he dialed the number.

"Hello?" a deep voice answered.

"Sesshomaru! This is Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha?" A microscopic amount of concern entered his tone of voice. Inuyasha never called unless he absolutely had to. "Is everything in order over there?"

"Sure is! I just wanted to send my personal congratulations!"

He was being entirely too cheerful. "Why?"

"For you and Rin, of course." He made a big show of clearing his throat, and then began to sing. "Sesshomaru and Rin, Sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, First comes love, Then comes marriage, Then comes a baby in the baby carriage!"

Dead silence. And then, "Inuyasha, I want you to know that was beyond a doubt the most immature thing I have ever heard in my entire life."

"When's the wedding? I am invited, aren't I? Hey, tell Rin when you see her that- Aw, he hung up on me."

He heard Kagome laughing at him. "I can't imagine why," she told him sarcastically.

"Shut up, you," he said playfully.

"Make me," she taunted mischievously.

Miroku walked in at that exact moment. He smiled lewdly. "Tell me Kagome, what was he going to make you do?"

"Miroku!" she yelled, blushing.

Okay, maybe she had been flirting with Inuyasha a _little_ bit. But she hadn't meant to! Honest! Miroku didn't have to go and make it look so bad!

Kagome was absolutely freezing as she walked into The Club. Sure, winter was fun, but did it have to be so darn cold?! As she opened the door going in, she bumped into Inuyasha who was coming out.

"Hey," he said.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "Where are you going anyways?"

"Have to pick some stuff up for my guitar. I'm playing this Saturday, remember?" he reminded her dryly.

Oh yeah, that. She still wasn't exactly sure where she stood with him on that one. "So I'll see you later then?"

"Sure."

"STOP!" Miroku interjected loudly.

They spun around, 'what's wrong?' written all over their faces. Miroku never shouted! Slowly his perturbed expression relaxed into a smile, and he motioned to above their heads. "You might want to look up there," he suggested breezily.

They looked up… and froze.

Mistletoe.

Kagome could feel her heartbeat pick up, and Inuyasha was sure his was so loud Kagome could hear it. Simultaneously they thought, "Who the _hell_ put that up there?!"

Miroku grinned. "Seven years bad luck if you don't kiss her Inuyasha."

Kagome was looking anywhere but at Inuyasha. She laughed nervously. "Oh come on, Inuyasha doesn't believe in bad l-"

But she was cut off as he leaned down… and kissed her. She could have sworn that her heart skipped a beat. His lips were really, really, soft against hers, and suddenly she didn't feel so cold anymore… In fact, she was pretty sure that she was blushing awfully warmly by now. But as quickly as it had happened, it was over, and Inuyasha was out the door before she could even see the look on his face.

Kagome was left standing with a hand on her lips, staring dumbly at Miroku, and wondering what the heck had just happened.

"Don't look at me like that!" he said. "It was your idea to put the decorations up."

-------------------------------------

Cute, huh?

I don't think the time between the radio station tour and when he's going to perform is working out like I said it would. One too many Saturdays in there somehow… but don't worry! He'll get to it eventually!

Isn't it weird reading about winter in the middle of July?

And about Miroku's Wind Tunnel – maybe something about a car crash? Emotions run awfully high in hospitals.

Review!!!


	21. Bad News

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Twenty

Inuyasha swore under his breath. He couldn't fall asleep! Every time he closed his damn eyes he would see the look on Kagome's face when he'd kissed her.

What in the name of all that was holy, and how about everything that wasn't too, had possessed him to _do_ that?! I mean, it's _Kagome_! he thought. The idea that he might like her was ludicrous, at best.

But her lips were really soft… and kissable… and…

He fell back onto his pillows with a frustrated sigh. He was so screwed, wasn't he? Either she liked him back and he'd have a clingy girlfriend to deal with, or she'd hate him for kissing her like that, and his goddamned heart would break _again_.

o0o

Kagome sat in bed that night, unable to fall asleep. Thoughts of Inuyasha kept flooding her mind. Did that kiss mean that he likes her now? Or did he just do it to get Miroku off his back? That didn't sound like him at all! Even if he did like her, would she let him risk their friendship like that? Did she even like him back? Of course not! she thought. It's _Inuyasha!_ Moody, standoffish, arrogant Inuyasha. It wasn't even possible that she-

But then the feeling of his lips on hers would come drifting back, and she wasn't so sure anymore. She'd remember all the sweet things he'd done for her. Like fix the shutter on her upstairs window without telling anyone, and defending her from Sesshoumaru, and driving her to see her grandfather when he was sick, and helping with Shippo, and helping her with her math homework, and throwing her a great birthday party, and there were just too many to count!

Would it be awkward between them now? Or would he act like it never happened? That would be so like him!

She sighed. What should she do?

o0o

Inuyasha woke up with, to his shame, butterflies in his stomach. That didn't happen to him too often, and it was making him edgy. Not only did he have Kagome to worry about, but a few short days away was his supposed big debut. There were so many what-ifs running through his head, he could barely register them all.

He was just getting ready to go down to The Club when he heard Kagome rushing up the stairs frantically, calling his name. What was she doing up here? She was never here this early! He felt his stomach tighten in apprehension. Did he really have to deal with her reaction this early in the morning?

But all thoughts of that flew out the window when he saw her. She was about as pale as a ghost, and she was shaking as if she'd seen one too.

"What's wrong?" he asked with an audible amount of concern in his voice that surprised even himself.

She began wringing her hands nervously. "Miroku was just hit by a car!" she blurted out.

He blanched. "What?"

"Come on, he's at the hospital right now. We have to go see him!" she wailed, grabbing his hand and heading for the door.

Hastily Inuyasha flipped the sign on the door so that it said 'Sorry, we're closed,' and locked the door behind him.

Kagome stood staring at the space where Miroku's car was usually parked. Inuyasha came up behind her, immediately recognizing what she was looking at. "Don't Kagome. He'll be fine."

She spun around to face him. "How can you say that?!" she shouted. "He was hit by a car! A _car_ Inuyasha!"

He looked shocked at her outburst.

Tears started to form in her eyes. "I'm sorry Inuyasha. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have yelled."

He shrugged it off, letting her know that it was okay. She was just stressed. She always got like that when she was worried about someone, anyone really. Didn't matter who, she was just like that. "How are we getting there?" he asked.

"My mom said she'd drive us downtown whenever we want to go. My house isn't too far that way. I brought my bike, do you have one?"

He shook his head in the negative.

"Do you want to sit on the rack on the back of my bike then?"

"Sure."

Arriving at her house, Mrs. Higurashi came outside with her keys and a warm homemade chocolate chip cookie for each of them. "Comfort food," she said with a motherly smile. "It's good for the soul." It didn't take long to drive to the hospital, and when they got there, Inuyasha felt all this worry for Miroku hit him full force. Seeing the building made everything seem more real, more believable.

Kagome's mother pulled up to the entrance and turned to face them. "If there's anything you two need at all, or your friend Miroku too, just call, alright?"

"Thanks Momma."

"Of course dear."

Inuyasha nodded his head in Mrs. Higurashi's direction, before leaving the car and walking up to the building's entrance.

But Kagome stopped walking, and just kind of stood there, staring up at the professional, impersonal front of the hospital. Softly, she spoke.

"I'm afraid of going in there," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm afraid of what we'll find out."

Inuyasha wanted to console her, but wasn't sure how. Finally he settled on telling her in a rather gruff voice, "You're going to find out whether you go in or not, you know. And Miroku would probably like it better if you were there, so come on."

"…okay." She seemed surprised by his logic, but took a deep breath and nodded her head in determination.

As they stepped inside, the calm quiet of the lobby was shattered when a shout of 'Kagome' rang through the air, and Shippo sprinted across the room to meet them.

"Hey Shippo," she said, opening her arms for a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"I was at the orphanage, and I saw Sango leaving, but she looked so upset, so I asked her what was wrong, and she told me, and then said I could come," he explained dejectedly.

"How is he?" Inuyasha asked sternly. Being nervous made him angry.

Shippo seemed to sag at the question. "They won't tell me!"

Inuyasha and Kagome traded looks. That couldn't be a good sign.

"His room's over here," Shippo continued, and somberly led them through the pristine clean white hallways to the intensive care unit. Also not a good sign.

Sitting on a chair outside of Miroku's room was a short, old, balding man who was staring off into space.

Kagome cleared her throat. "Hello, is this Miroku's room?" she asked.

That jerked him awake. "Ah, yes it is. Who might you be?"

"Kagome Higurashi, a friend. This is Inuyasha."

"Mushin, his cousin," he replied. "Nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too." He must be that obscure relative that took Miroku in as a child! Kagome realized.

Inuyasha spoke up. "How's he doing?"

Mushin snorted. "Go look for yourself."

* * *

I know it's been a while, so review and tell me what you think so far!

My page breakers aren't working anymore! Why?


	22. Family Curses

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Twenty-One

Sango had rushed to the hospital as soon as she'd heard the news. The nurse attending to Miroku had called her up at the orphanage around quarter to seven in the morning. Apparently Miroku had been on his morning jog when a car took an unexpected turn and cut in front of him. They'd slammed on the brakes, but not soon enough to avoid hitting him completely. He had a bad concussion, a broken arm, and a hand that was slightly crushed, though they assured her that it would mend perfectly as long as he had a surgical operation done on it. The nurse told her that he'd been mumbling her name in the ambulance, so she'd run a search through the area for a Sango and found her.

Shippo had demanded to come along, but was currently sitting outside the room with Mushin, swinging legs that didn't quite reach the floor yet.

At first the doctors hadn't let her in, because technically visiting hours hadn't begun yet, but when he was handed over to the nurse's care, she'd been permitted to see him, the nurse telling her that "It's all up to him now."

Finding out how he was doing was almost as bad as not knowing. Miroku looked awful. His arm was in a clean white cast, and the hand at the end of it was bruised and swollen beyond recognition. His face was pale and scratched up, and his head had been bandaged at the top, some bloody hair still sticking through. Worst of all was that awful beeping sound imitating his heartbeat, and that hospital smell that covered everything.

No one had ever considered Sango a weak person, but right now she felt nauseated. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths in hopes of settling her stomach. She slowly walked towards him and all but crumpled into the chair next to his bed.

"Oh Miroku," she whispered. "What have you done to yourself?"

Hesitantly she reached out and took his uninjured hand in her own. His hands were so much larger than her own, so much rougher. Why hadn't she noticed before? she thought frantically. Why hadn't she known he was such an early riser? Why hadn't she known that he-

She took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. "You can't leave Miroku!" she squeezed her eyes shut. "Not you too! Not you too."

And then she heard the door open. She looked up, and blinking back tears, saw Kagome and Inuyasha hesitantly enter the room.

Kagome's gaze was drawn first not to Miroku, but rather to Sango. She looked a complete wreck. And no surprise either. Kagome wasn't exactly sure what had happened between the two, but gathered that Miroku was somehow the first person to befriend her after her family had been murdered. And of course there was that spark of attraction between them that Sango usually liked to ignore.

"Hey Sango," Kagome said softly.

And then the dam broke. The tears Sango had been holding back all morning were suddenly and unexpectedly streaming down her face. Immediately Kagome was at her side, loosely hugging her and holding out some tissues.

Inuyasha instead turned to Miroku, wondering what half-assed son of a bitch had tried to run over his friend! If only he could get his hands on the bastard!

Once Sango had pulled herself together, she explained to Kagome and Inuyasha what had happened.

A nurse walked in wearing one of those starched white uniforms, complete with cap, and was carrying a clipboard. She peered down at the mountain of paperwork clipped to it. "This is… Miroku?" she asked.

They nodded.

"The doctors just want some additional information," she told them. She pulled a pen out of her pocket. "Age?"

"Nineteen," Sango said.

"I see," she replied, marking something down on her paper. "And is he an organ donor?"

"What?" she breathed, certain she had misheard.

"An organ donor," the nurse repeated. "Is he one or not?"

Silence.

Suddenly Inuyasha stood up angrily, the chair flying out from behind him. "What the hell kind of question is that?!" he yelled, outraged.

"Sir, if you could keep you voice down-"

"Are you going to just start cutting him open?!"

"-forced to call security and-"

"He's not fricking dead!" The words rang in the air.

Kagome stood up too. "Maybe you should come back later," Kagome suggested trying to smile, her jaw clenched. "Much later."

The nurse narrowed her eyes, suddenly hating her job, and stalked out of the room. A different nurse peeked her head in the door. "Is everything okay in here?"

Inuyasha swore under his breath and turned away. Kagome managed a weak smile. "Fine, everything's fine."

The nurse didn't seem convinced. "If you need anything just press that button."

"Of course, thanks."

Sango had gone back to nervously playing with Miroku's good hand again, ignoring everything around her. The world was just too painful sometimes.

o0o

A few hours later Sango was making her way down the hallways in search of some food. She found Mushin getting some coffee in the waiting room. She joined him, pulling some coins out of her pocket.

He laughed. "I guess this marks the start of our vending machine diet, huh?"

She smiled. "Guess so." After getting her snack she sat down next to him. "Mushin, can I ask you something?"

"Fire away gorgeous."

Sango smiled. So that's where he gets it from! "You've known Miroku a lot longer than I have. Do you think… How do you think this will turn out?"

Instantly Mushin's face darkened. "I think… that he won't make it."

Her eyes widened, and she could feel her stomach sinking. "What? How can you say that about your own cousin?!" she demanded.

He leaned back in his chair. "I need a drink," he sighed. "Look girl… Sango, that's your name, right?"

She nodded, looking at him suspiciously.

"Miroku's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all involved in some sort of car accident before the age of forty. All three of them died before the sun even set on their first day of being in a hospital."

Sango stood up, looking down on him angrily. "So you're just going to give up on him then?Resign yourself to the fact that he's going to die anyway? Let fate do whatever the hell it pleases? " It wasn't like her to swear.

He didn't respond.

"You don't deserve to know him!" And she left the room, for the millionth time that day holding back tears.

o0o

Kagome and Sango sat together in the now deserted waiting room. Inuyasha had taken Shippo and went out to buy some take-out food for them. It was a little past lunchtime. Belatedly she realized that she'd already missed four hours of school. She had bigger things to worry about though, and her mom had probably called them in.

She turned to look at her friend. She was almost more worried about Sango than about Miroku. She'd never seen Sango in such a sad state. She was pale, had dark circles under her eyes, and was jumping at the slightest sound. Not to mention that she was hardly touching her food.

Sango had just told her about her conversation with Mushin.

"He really said that?" Kagome asked incredulously.

Sango nodded miserably.

"Well, I wouldn't worry about it," Kagome said, ever the optimist. "I'm sure the thing with his dad was just a fluke."

"And what about his grandfather, and great-grandfather?" she asked dryly.

Kagome winced. What should she say? "Coincidence. Miroku would _never_ give up and die because he's _supposed_ to."

Boy did Sango ever know that. Once she had asked him why he had tried so hard to save her. He had responded with some crap about how the Buddha smiles on everyone. Now she could see that it was because he'd seen so many people he knew die already, because he was afraid of dying himself.

"But what if it's not about giving up? What if it's just too much for a body to take? What if-"

"Don't think like that Sango," Kagome said gently.

There was a pause. Then Sango spoke up again, slooking a little zoned out. "Did I ever tell you what happened when Miroku followed me down the hall that day?"

"No," Kagome replied quietly. Sango was talking to herself now, more than she was talking to Kagome.

"He found out that I was… suicidal."

Kagome couldn't help the small gasp that escaped from her. Sango?! Tried to kill herself?! Why hadn't she known about this? But when she stopped to think about it, if anyone was going to try and do that, it would make sense that it would be a girl who had just lost her family. Still, the shock was terrific.

"Kagome, if it weren't for him… I don't know if I'd even be here right now!" Tears leaked out of her eyes again. God! She was _so_ sick of crying. "What will I do without him?"

"You won't have to do anything without him! He'll pull through!" Kagome encouraged. "I'm sure of it!" Sure Kagome was worried about Miroku too, but Sango looked like she needed reassurance a lot more than she did.

"Thanks Kagome," Sango said softly. Kagome had helped her so much, throughout the whole day.

Inuyasha walked in then, Shippo trailing after him. "Who wants some chow?"

Kagome rolled her eyes at his interrupting such a tender moment with his obnoxious behavior, but found herself suddenly thankful that Inuyasha hadn't been in any car crashes lately.

* * *

Please review! Is it getting too mushy?

Up next: Some Kagome and Inuyasha moments!


	23. Show of Trust

The Club

christielea54

Chapter Twenty Two

Inuyasha had driven Shippo home when it got dark out, and was now sitting in the waiting room… just waiting. Sango was back in Miroku's room. She found it difficult to stay away for more that forty-nine minutes and ten seconds at a time. He knew because he'd been timing her.

Kagome yawned. She was sitting next to him on one of the cushioned benches in the waiting room. Now that he thought about it, he was kind of tired himself. It had been a long day, for all of them. It was funny how mental stress could be more draining than physical exercise. He felt his stomach tighten in worry as he thought about Miroku again.

If he doesn't pull through this, I'll kill him myself! Inuyasha thought.

Kagome's eyes were starting to droop shut now, but every few seconds she'd jerk herself awake, blinking madly, just to droop off again.

He nudged her with his shoulder. "You can go to sleep if you want to, you know," he offered. "I'll wake you up if anything happens."

She smiled at him gratefully, and already half asleep whispered, "Thanks Inuyasha." Her eyes drifted shut and she leaned back in her seat, yawning.

Inuyasha had never actually seen anyone fall asleep before. He'd never known anyone well enough besides his mother, and before she'd died, she'd always put him to bed first. So he'd never seen, for real and up close, what a person looked like falling asleep. Kagome's whole body had gone lax, and her face had smoothed out, like she was forgetting all her troubles in her sleep. She looked peaceful.

Suddenly she started shifting about, trying to stretch out and find a more comfortable position on the hospital bench. She settled for taking Inuyasha's shoulder as a pillow.

He struggled not to blush as he got used to the new warmth on his shoulder. He hadn't realized until just this moment how intimate a gesture simply falling asleep next to someone was. They were leaving themselves vulnerable and open next to you. He could do anything he wanted to her right now, and she'd be helpless to stop him. He could shave her eyebrows off, or paint a moustache on her face, or abduct her, or leave her alone and defenseless in the middle of this public place. Not that he _would_ do any of those things, but the point was that a person _could_. This was another one of Kagome's silent shows of trust.

Okay, so maybe he was overanalyzing, but seeing her there, lying with her head on his shoulder, without a worry on her pretty face… He felt a surge of protectiveness go through him. He hadn't felt quite like this about _anyone_ before, and it scared him more than he was willing to admit.

She sighed lightly, still tossing about in her sleep, trying to get more comfortable.

He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Sure, there were still reservations and what-ifs bouncing around in his head, but he ignored them like he didanything that ever got in his way… it felt good to have her here.

o0o

The first thing Kagome was aware of was that someone was nudging her shoulder. She didn't want to get up! She burrowed further into the blissful warmth of sleep surrounding her. But the nudging became more persistent, and vaguely she could hear someone calling her name. Was… was that Inuyasha? She cracked an open and saw that not only was Inuyasha the one waking her up, but he was also the one giving off all the warmth she thought was her bed.

She shot straight up, rubbing furiously at her eyes. But even more startling still than the fact that she'd been sleeping on Inuyasha while he held her, was what he was telling her now.

"Kagome, Miroku just woke up!"

o0o

Sango was sitting on what she now referred to as her chair. God only knew how long she'd sat on the thing today. Today seemed like forever for her. The clock read a little past midnight, and she still couldn't fall asleep. Every time she closed her eyes she would she her burning house, would remember having to identify her parent's charred remains, she would even imagine how this morning's accident must have played out.

So instead, she kept them open, convincing herself that the man on the bed next to her was still breathing.

She'd been holding his good hand, and when she felt it squeeze her own, she thought she must have imagined it. Slowly, her eyes traveled up his arm, across his shoulder and neck, and when she got up to his face, she saw his eyes open, and a tired smile on his face.

She was so relieved she could have cried!

"Sango," he stated simply, quietly, as he squeezed her hand again. He was in a hospital, and she was the one here by his bed, waiting for him to wake up.

She had heard strength in Miroku's voice, had heard the mirth that constantly laced his tone, but never before had she heard this… warmth. "Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?!" she demanded, but with a teary smile on her face.

He smiled, shrugging his shoulders, but the simple action was so painful that he grimaced. "I was hit by a car, wasn't I?" he asked, eyes closed, trying to remember what had happened.

"Yeah," she said softly, "you were."

He sat there for a moment in silence, taking it all in. "Wow," he finally said turning back to her. "That'll sure put your life into perspective for you."

She wasn't sure how to respond. "I'll go get the nurse, tell her you woke up, I'm sure she-"

"Wait Sango," he called.

She turned back to him with a questioning look on her face.

"Would it be… so much to ask… to let me take you out on a date?" he asked. Sure he was milking the sympathy factor for all it was worth, but the results would be good, right?

The thought that he might just be using her had certainly crossed her mind, but the thought that he might not be using her was definitely there too. She knew that did like him, and right now, she was _beyond_ caring about much else other than the fact that he was going to be okay. A smile graced her features. "I'd love too."

Miroku returned her smile, and lifted up a hand that they both thought would end up in a place where it shouldn't. Narrowing her eyes, and wondering if the hit to his head had made him stupid or something, she swatted the offending hand away.

Unfortunately, it had been the hand that he hadn't realized yet how bad it had been hurt. The light touch of Sango pushing it away had sent tremors up and down his arm so painful that he thought he might just die. He let out a wordless shout.

Sango jumped away from him as if she'd been burned. "Oh my god Miroku! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

He was left panting as he tried to pull himself together. "What," he asked through gritted teeth and clenched jaw, "happened to my hand?"

She slumped back into her chair. "I'm not sure... they said it would be good as new after surgery."

"Surgery?" he asked in a dangerously low voice

"Miroku, I, I don't know! I'll get the doctor. He'll be able to explain everything." She made to get up, but he stopped her.

"Sango," he said as he picked up the phone with his good hand to call the doctor over instead. "Stay." And his gaze held hers until she sat down again, a light smile on her face.

* * *

Awww! See, Miroku got through okay. I'm not the type to kill all my characters off. It's too depressing.

So I was thinking next, maybe Inuyasha's performance, and some holiday fun! How's that?

Review!


	24. The Big Night

The Club

Christielea54

Chapter Twenty-Three

-

Inuyasha and Kagome walked into the room as the doctor was walking out.

"Miroku!" Kagome exclaimed happily. "How are you doing?"

He laughed. "I've sure been better, how about you?"

"Worried sick, that's how!" she told him, all smiles.

"Yeah, sorry about that," he said pleasantly, but continued on a more serious note. "And I'm sorry to you to buddy," he told Inuyasha.

"What for?" Inuyasha asked, puzzled.

"I might not make it to your big night!"

"My big night?" he asked, clueless.

"Is this Saturday ringing any bells?" Sango asked him sarcastically.

"Oh, when I play," he realized. "How long are you going to be in here for anyway?"

"Surgery's tomorrow morning, then they want to keep me here for a while."

"Surgery?" Kagome asked.

Miroku held up his hand, wincing as he did so.

"Ouch," she said.

"Yeah."

"Will you be out by Christmas?"

"Hopefully."

"Oh good!" she exclaimed. "We should all get together and do something! How about caroling?"

At the suggestion, Inuyasha began to forcefully disagree.

"But you've got a great voice," she contested.

He snorted. "That doesn't mean I'm going to go parading around in a Santa hat all night in the cold, singing fa-la-la-la-la!"

"A Santa hat?" she repeated mischievously, and grinned at him in a way that made him regret ever opening his mouth.

o0o

There were people everywhere! And they just kept coming in. It was Saturday night at The Club, and it was less than an hour away from Inuyasha's big performance. God! If she were him right now, she'd be too nervous to come downstairs. But, she guessed that was just part of what made him Inuyasha: his confidence. Sure it was downright annoying sometimes, but it suited him.

She grabbed the two waters a couple had ordered from behind the bar and brought it over to them, collecting the money. She'd never been this busy in her life! That's what it must mean, she thought, when they say it never rains, but it pours. Some nights she was bored stiff she had nothing to do, and tonight she could barely catch her breath.

She heard the bells over the door ring for the thousandth time that night, and mentally groaning turned to greet them, but was met with a pleasant surprise.

"Miroku! You made it!"

He smiled. "I figured you could use some help tonight."

"You're supposed to be resting," she pointed out.

"Come on Kagome, at least let me work the cash register."

"Okay," she agreed, looking forward to hearing Inuyasha sing again.

"Hey Sango!" Miroku shouted over the din of the room. "Guess who escaped the evils of an infirmary room to come see you?"

Sango turned around, a slight blush on her cheeks that she refused to acknowledge, and waved, making her way through the crowd. "Hey Miroku! How's your hand?"

"This old thing?" he replied casually, holding up the new cast. "It'll be fine by this time next week."

She laughed. "I'm sure."

Kagome watched them, knowing something had happened between them that she hadn't managed to pry out of Sango yet. But her attention was drawn to the small stage set up in the back corner as Inuyasha jumped up onto it. Everyone's attention was. He looked great. Just jeans and a tight black t-shirt, but he was the only guy in the room with a guitar strapped over his shoulder. Then again, maybe she was just biased. She always thought he looked great.

She hadn't remembered feeling so good in a while now. Christmas was just around the corner, Miroku was going to be okay, Inuyasha was finally going to sing, everything was starting to come together.

Kagome felt nervous though, just from watching him. How must he be feeling?!

Inuyasha had actually been doing pretty good up until now. Now that he was really on a stage though, the whole thing started to feel real to him for the first time. So he had a little bit of stage fright, who wouldn't? But he wouldn't let it show. Nope, he wasn't afraid of anything. He'd show them!

He took up the microphone easily, confidently. "Hey everyone!" he shouted into it, his heart pounding in his chest.

"HEY!" they all shouted back, whistling and cheering.

Kagome suddenly realized that not only was Inuyasha a great musician, he was also a great performer. He really had the crowd going.

"Before I start," he shouted. His voice was everywhere at once, amplified and deepened by the surround sound speakers. "I just want to shout 'thanks' to an angel in the back over there! She made tonight possible!"

The crowd went wild again as Inuyasha's eyes found Kagome's.

He wasn't sure what had made him say that, but it had just felt right, seeing her there, cheering him on. It was her fault that he was here anyway; make her pay for it a little bit. Kagome didn't like the spotlight all that much. Besides, he wasn't angry with her anymore, just nervous. The good kind, that makes you feel like you can take on anything! He would nail this thing!

There was no way in heaven or hell that she would ever get tired of looking into those gorgeous amber eyes. And the look that he sent her just then was so happy and excited and warm, and still perfectly Inuyasha, that it made her literally weak at the knees. She couldn't have stopped smiling at him then if she'd wanted to.

He watched her for a moment longer than was necessary, thinking that he could die happy from seeing her smile at him like that, and then turned back to the crowd.

"Now let's make some music!" he yelled. He turned to the drummer and counted off "a one, a two, a one two three four!" He started off with some rock and roll classics, and then eased into songs that he'd written himself. He even threw in a few remixed Christmas songs for kicks. It was hard for people to not like it.

"Thank you!" he yelled into the microphone. His voice really was great.

The crowd applauded like crazy, Kagome right there with them.

The agents who had come to scout him emerged from the crowd and swarmed towards the stage. Inuyasha would never have guessed that those were them, but he guessed that was the point, after all. Suddenly all of them were talking to him at once. Throwing up deals, offering money, and describing contracts. It was too much for a guy to take in at once.

"We could make you big Yasha! Real big!" one was saying.

He scowled. _Yasha?!_

"You've got the talent _and_ the looks!" another pointed out enthusiastically.

"… good publicity with that cutie girlfriend of yours."

Now _that_ caught his attention. Why did _everyone_ they had _ever_ met assume that they were dating?! Why?! Why?!

"Kagome's not my girlfriend," he said.

"Then how did you know that I was talking about Kagome?"

Okay, so he had no response to that one. Damn those fast talkers!

"If you sign with us for one year," the first one continued.

"Stop," a voice commanded from behind him. He turned around and saw none other than Sesshoumaru himself, as always, decked out in full suit and tie.

"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha exclaimed.

"I came to see your show. What else would I be doing here?" he asked dryly, still managing to sound condescending. He turned back to the agents. "Gentlemen, if you would give me your business numbers, we can talk contracts on Monday."

"But-"

"But what?" he asked, raising an eyebrow coldly.

They all looked at each other, and then sullenly complied with Sesshoumaru's request. They didn't feel so up to arguing with the tall intimidating figure in the business suit. Plus, this Inuyasha character was too valuable to lose. With pouts on their faces they handed over their business cards.

As they descended the stage, Inuyasha was left staring at his brother, his jaw hanging slightly open in disbelief.

"As far as these kinds of things go, you did excellently," Sesshoumaru declared.

"I can't believe you're here."

"Someone needed to keep those sharks away from you."

Inuyasha scratched the back of his head. "Yeah… thanks for that."

Sesshoumaru looked at him and rather suddenly asked him, in a way that made it almost sound as if he cared, "Why won't you tell anyone that she's your girlfriend?"

"Because she's not," Inuyasha stated bluntly.

He tried to figure out how Sesshoumaru made rolling his eyes look dignified. "I'm sure that's why she's wearing your late mothers necklace."

Inuyasha spun around. "She is?" he asked incredulously.

Kagome was leaning against the bar top, happily conversing with Sango and Miroku. And there, glinting off the light with each rise and fall of her chest, was that tiny sparkling diamond.

He couldn't believe she was actually wearing it. It touched him in a way he hadn't been expecting. "She is," he confirmed to himself softly.

Sesshoumaru cleared his throat, drawing Inuyasha back to reality. "I have a plane to catch," he stated. "So I will call you tomorrow or the day after to discuss those agents."

Inuyasha could only nod. Christ! He was going all soft because of her! But, every time he saw that little teardrop jewel fall back in between the top of her soft looking breasts, he really didn't mind anymore.

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Hey! This worked out good! Sorry I took so long to update, but now it's actually going to be Christmastime when I write about it!

What do you think so far? Honestly. Review!!!! I need some more ideas. Even if it's just for the funny in-between stuff, and especially for the Miroku-Sango date that's coming up!

Review!


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